In this episode of Justice Voices, you will hear from guest Sam Dent, who served a mandatory minimum 20 years in prison in a case host David Risley prosecuted around the same time as the case he prosecuted against co-host, Lynard Joiner.
Mr. Dent was one of Mr. Joiner’s early clients in his Shifting Into New Gear (SING) program for helping people successfully reenter community and family life after release from prison. Mr. Dent tells us what a difference it made after returning to the community to have the support he received from Mr. Joiner and his SING program, including assistance finding employment.
Mr. Dent shares his backstory of how he ended up going to prison and tells us about his experience in prison. Most importantly and most interestingly, he shares the story of who he is today, of what he has made of himself after prison.
You will also learn a lot from the exchange about criminal justice policy issues. As Mr. Risley told Mr. Dent and Mr. Joiner during that discussion, they are subject matter experts speaking from lived experience giving them a perspective of great value to those who have never seen our justice system from the inside out, rather than the outside in.