Just Justice

jessicahenryjustice
  • 5.0 (29)
  • Society & Culture

A podcast about criminal justice, punishment, redemption, and second chances.

  1. 5d ago

    S4: E11 From Prisoner to Lawyer: Priscillah Cherono on Justice and Second Chances in Kenya

    For the first time, Just Justice goes international! Host Jessica Henry welcomes Priscillah Cherono from Kenya, whose extraordinary journey from prisoner to lawyer offers a powerful perspective on criminal justice and second chances beyond the United States.   Priscillah spent more than 14 years incarcerated in Kenya, including over nine years awaiting trial. While imprisoned, she experienced firsthand the harsh realities of horrifically overcrowded prisons, limited access to legal representation, and prolonged pretrial detention in a system that routinely disfavors the poor. Her life changed when she enrolled in a paralegal training program through Justice Defenders. She began helping other incarcerated women navigate their legal cases and ultimately earned a law degree from the University of London—all while behind bars. Now working with Justice Defenders, Priscillah shares her remarkable journey and discusses the transformative power of legal education, the challenges of reentry after incarceration, the experiences of women in prison, and the need for criminal justice and sentencing reform. Her inspiring story reminds us that the importance of human dignity, redemption, and second chances transcends borders. You can learn more about Priscillah Cherono's journey at https://www.justice-defenders.org/priscilla-cherono-from-defenceless-to-defender-in-langata-womens-prison.  You can also learn more about the Justice Defenders and support their work: https://www.justice-defenders.org. Audio production by Kaz Araki

  2. Oct 13

    S4EP10 The Deserving: Elizabeth Vartkessian on Mercy, Mitigation, and Second Chances

    Context means everything. In this episode of Just Justice, Jessica Henry speaks with Elizabeth Vartkessian, author of the terrific new book The Deserving and founder of Advancing Real Change (ARC), about the power of mitigation evidence to reveal the life experiences and contexts in which people cause serious harm. Together they explore how childhood trauma, poverty, violence, and systemic failures shape lives, and what those histories mean for accountability and punishment. From the death penalty to re-sentencing, clemency, rehabilitation, and second chances, this conversation challenges us to imagine a criminal justice system rooted in human dignity, compassion, and public safety.   Learn more about Liz's work and order your copy of The Deserving: https://www.elizabethvartkessian.com/   Learn more about Jessica Henry at jessicahenryjustice.com.   Audio Production by Kaz Araki

  3. Sep 29

    Violence Begets Violence

    Why do we so often respond to violence with calls for more violence? In this short solo episode, host Jessica Henry reflects on trauma, accountability, and what it means to hold people responsible for their actions without denying their humanity.

  4. Sep 15

    S4E9: The Case for Holistic Defense with NJ Public Defender Jennifer Sellitti

    Jennifer Sellitti, the Public Defender for the State of New Jersey, joins Just Justice to talk about holistic defense, client-centered representation, and the future of public defense. She explains how addressing needs such as treatment, mental health care, employment, and benefits can improve outcomes for clients and communities. We also discuss second chances, resentencing and parole -- and Sellitti’s unexpected role as a shipwreck diver and author of The Adriatic Affair.   Links:  Learn more about the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender at https://www.nj.gov/defender/. To order The Adriatic Affair go to https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764367951?lv=shuf&channelId=510&plpRedirect=mhFallback. For more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice@gmail.com   And be sure to like and review Just Justice.... and tell a friend!    Production Editor: Kaz Araki

  5. Sep 1

    S4E8: The Price of Mercy, with Emily Galvin Almanza on Public Defense, Justice, and Andromeda Diaz

    Emily Galvin Almanza has spent her career reimagining what justice can look like. A former public defender and co-founder and executive director of Partners for Justice, she joins Just Justice to talk about her acclaimed book, The Price of Mercy: Unfair Trials, a Violent System, and a Public Defender’s Search for Justice in America, and her new middle-grade novel, Andromeda Diaz and the Reasonable Doubt, out September 8. We talk about the failures of the criminal legal system, the power of public defense, and why she’s now bringing questions about fairness, evidence, and reasonable doubt to a younger generation. You can learn more about Emily Galvin Almanza and find links for the Price of Mercy and Andromeda Diaz at https://www.emilygalvinalmanza.com. To learn more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice.com.    Audio mixing and editing by Kaz Araki

  6. Aug 4

    S4E7: Pink Crime: Criminalizing Motherhood, Abortion, Pregnancy and Queer Identity, with Valena Beety

    In this episode of Just Justice, Jessica Henry speaks with law professor, innocence attorney, and former federal prosecutor Valena Beety about her new book, Pink Crime: Fighting the Criminalization of Motherhood, Pregnancy, and Queer Identity. The conversation explores how the criminal legal system judges mothers against impossible standards of “good motherhood,” how pregnancy outcomes and substance use can lead to surveillance, criminal prosecution, and family separation, and how bias against people who are LGBTQ can influence criminal investigations and convictions. This episode is essential listening for anyone concerned about the criminalization of abortion, attacks on reproductive freedom, and the expanding use of criminal law to control women's bodies and identities. For more about Valena Beety and to find the link to purchase Pink Crime, go to https://valenabeetyjd.com. To learn more about Roseberline Turenne, the daycare worker discussed in this episode who was sentenced to 126 years in prison under highly questionable circumstances, read this amicus brief: https://valenabeetyjd.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2024-01-12-Proposed-Amicus-Brief-Roseberline-Turenne-v-MD.pdf or check out this news story: https://www.yahoo.com/news/day-care-worker-says-she-194018682.html. For more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice.com, and check out her substack, All Things Justice.  Audio production by Kaz Araki

  7. Jul 21

    S4: E6 When Survival Is Punished: Dawn Jackson’s Journey from Prison to Clemency

    Dawn Jackson survived years of sexual abuse and violence before being convicted in connection with the death of her abusive step-grandfather. Sentenced to 30 years, she spent more than 25 years at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women before receiving clemency from Governor Phil Murphy in December 2024..com In this powerful conversation, Dawn discusses the trauma that shaped her case, the legal system’s failure to understand criminalized survival, the pain of separation from her children, and the challenges of rebuilding her life after prison. She also shares her advocacy for New Jersey’s Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act and her work through From Darkness to Dawn, LLC, which supports survivors and justice-impacted people as they reclaim their lives. Content note: This episode contains explicit discussions of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and incarceration.   To learn more about Dawn Jackson, her organization from Darkness to Dawn, and to order  her book, From Incarceration to Advocacy: A Life Reclaimed, go to https://www.fromdarkness2dawn.com/.   To learn more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice.com.   Production Editor: Kaz Araki

  8. Jul 7

    S4E5: Attorney Courtney Teasley on Legal Literacy and Championing Justice

    After more than a decade as a criminal defense attorney, Courtney Teasley saw the same problem over and over again: too many people entered the criminal legal system without a practical understanding of their rights or the systems shaping their choices. In this episode, Courtney explains why she sees legal, financial, and civic literacy as essential tools for disrupting pathways into mass incarceration. She also shares the meaning of her DAMM framework (Disproportionately Affected Marginalized Minority) and her vision for bringing legal literacy into public schools and everyday community life. For more about Courtney Teasley and her work go to: https://emeffen.com/ For more about Jessica Henry, go to https://jessicahenryjustice.com/ or join her on Substack at https://jessicahenryjustice.substack.com/.  Production Editor: Kaz Araki

See All (54)

Trailer

5
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

A podcast about criminal justice, punishment, redemption, and second chances.

Information

  • Creator
    jessicahenryjustice
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Just Justice

You Might Also Like