S3E11: Death by Incarceration: Felix Rosado on Life Sentences and Restorative Justice

Sentenced to life without parole at 18, Felix Rosado spent nearly 27 years in prison before his sentence was commuted. In this episode of Just Justice, Felix reflects on the moment he realized what a life sentence truly meant, what's wrong with "death by incarceration," and how restorative justice transformed his understanding of accountability and change. Now a restorative justice practitioner and educator, Felix discusses healing, responsibility, and why true justice must go beyond punishment to repair harm and rebuild relationships.

For more information about Let's Circle Up, go to: https://www.letscircleup.org/our-history

To get your copy of Justice From the Inside Up: A Restorative Justice Education Facilitator's Manual, by Felix Rosdao, go to https://livingjusticepress.org/product/justice-from-the-inside-up/.

For more about Jessica Henry, go to her website at jessicahenryjustce.com.

Production Editor: Kaz Araki

In this episode of Just Justice, host Jessica Henry speaks with April Barber-Scales, who was sentenced to life without parole in 1991 as a frightened, pregnant teenager. After more than thirty years in prison, April received a rare commutation in 2022 from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. Since her release, April has devoted herself to advocating for people in prison and challenging extreme sentencing practices. She is the founder of the nonprofit Fenced In: Fighting For Freedom Advocacy and author of multiple books, including her memoir of the same name. In this moving episode, April shares her personal experiences if incarceration, reflects on the lasting impact of extreme sentences on children, and makes a powerful case for a justice system that leaves room for dignity, accountability and second chances.

To learn more about April Barber-Scales, her writing, and Fenced In: Fighting For Freedom Advocacy, visit to https://aprilbarberscales.com

To learn more Jessica Henry, visit https://jessicahenryjustice.com

Audio mixing by Kaz Araki.

To learn more about Emilie's work, go to Re:Frame at https://www.reframeconsults.com/about-emile

Pick up your copy of Ghosts in the Criminal Justice Machine here.

To learn more about Jessica Henry, go to www.jessicahenryjustice.com.

Audio mixing by Kaz Araki

In this episode of Just Justice, host Jessica Henry sits down with Abe Bonowitz, co-founder and executive director of Death Penalty Action and one of the most persistent voices in the movement to end capital punishment in the United States. Abe shares how he went from a young man who once said he’d “pull the switch” himself to a lifelong abolitionist, and what decades of work on the front lines have taught him about justice, accountability, and the value of every human life. They discuss the politics behind the recent uptick in executions, why support for the death penalty is at historic lows even as some states ramp up killing, and the cost to victims’ families of capital punishment. Ultimately, Abe offers a powerful vision for justice in a world without capital punishment.

To learn more about Death Penalty Action and ways to support their work, go to https://deathpenaltyaction.org/.

To learn more about Jessica Henry got to https://jessicahenryjustice.com/

Audio mixed by Kaz Araki

Jennifer Soble, founder and Executive Director of the Illinois Prison Project, is re-imagining justice around a simple but radical belief: people can change. In this episode of Just Justice, Jennifer and host Jessica Henry explore how hope becomes action, and how that hope has brought hundreds of people home. Through compelling stories of freedom and reform, we hear how the Illinois Prison Project fights for second chances through parole, compassionate release, re-sentencing, and clemency. It’s a moving conversation about redemption and legal reform, and the bold passion for justice that makes both possible. Join us.

To learn more about Jennifer Soble and the work of IPP:

Visit their website: illinoisprisonproject.org or find them on social media: @illinoisprisonproject.

To learn more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice.com.

David Carrillo was serving a life without parole sentence when he realized he needed to radically change his thinking, and the way he was living behind bars. From a prison cell, he began a journey of education, reflection, and transformation that led him to become the first incarcerated college professor in the country. In this inspiring episode, we talk about what it means to imagine a life of purpose in a place built for punishment, how education became David’s pathway to hope, and what his story reveals about the power of redemption and the human capacity for change.

To learn more about David's work: https://www.davidrcarrilloconsulting.com/.

Check out his memoir, Kiki: From Life Without Parole to Life with Purpose: https://a.co/d/3Qth27p

For more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice.com.