A Decade of Integrity: Advancing Community Supervision Through Evidence and Hope

As the Justice Speakers Institute (JSI) celebrates ten years of advancing evidence-based justice, I am reminded of how far JSI has come, and the opportunities that lie ahead. When I first joined JSI, working on the Virginia Veterans Treatment Docket curriculum project, I was drawn to its mission because it reflected the same principles that have guided my career: integrity, fairness, and the belief that the justice system could change lives. The work with JSI was also quite simply, fun.

After more than four decades in public service, including my time as Chief Probation Officer for San Diego County, I have learned that enhancing public safety requires a combination of accountability and effective interventions designed to address the behavioral health issues of the justice involved. The justice system, using a collaborative effort of the stakeholders and the community, can  help people overcome their deficits and provide the support they need to succeed. That’s what effective community supervision is about; accountability balanced with treatment, and structure grounded in compassionate care.

JSI has always stood for those values. We do not just talk about justice as an idea; we work every day to make it practical, visible, and rooted in evidence. Our work shows up in courtrooms, probation departments, and treatment programs around the world where lives are being rebuilt.

Justice also is not an illusory concept; it is the product  of a commitment to unalienable truth  that all persons have a right to be treated fairly and have an opportunity to succeed. As JSI moves into its next decade, I am proud to be part of an organization that continues to ask the hard questions, challenge assumptions, and stay focused on what matters most—helping people succeed and helping communities thrive. And yes, it is still fun.