Justice Speakers Institute celebrates a decade of advancing justice reform worldwide. Founded in 2015 by Judge Peggy Hora, David Wallace, and Judge Brian MacKenzie, JSI has become a global leader in judicial education, evidence-based practice, and innovative court reform, shaping the next decade of progress in justice.
In this episode of Justice Speaks, Ms. Rachel Varela, Deputy Therapeutic Court Program Coordinator for the Alaska Court System, shares how Alaska’s therapeutic courts are expanding access to justice across vast and diverse communities. She discusses statewide innovations in training, technology, and collaboration that strengthen recovery and rehabilitation outcomes.
Former Police Chief Cynthia Herriott examines how emotions like fear and anger influence law enforcement responses and criminal justice policy. She distinguishes between dangerous offenders and those struggling with addiction or poverty, urging a shift toward evidence-based, compassionate approaches that enhance public safety and reduce recidivism.
As artificial intelligence transforms judicial systems worldwide, courts are redefining how justice is delivered. From AI-powered transcription to online dispute resolution, innovation is improving efficiency and access—but must never eclipse fairness. This post explores global trends ensuring AI in the courts enhances justice without diminishing human judgment.
In this episode, Justice Speaks features Phil Bowen, Director of the Centre for Justice Innovation. Bowen discusses evidence-based reforms transforming the British justice system, from diversion and smarter sentencing to procedural fairness and the Common Ground Justice Project, all aimed at building a fairer and more effective system.
Harm reduction is an essential part of recovery but must not mean a lack of accountability. Drawing lessons from Oregon’s policy challenges, this article explains why treatment courts need structure, incentives, and consequences. True recovery requires compassion paired with meaningful accountability to prevent relapse and promote long-term change.
In this episode of Justice Speaks, Ms. Rachael Mark of the Oregon Judicial Department discusses how Oregon’s Treatment Courts are strengthening justice through data, training, and collaboration. She shares insights on funding models, innovation, and building sustainable systems that improve lives across the state.
As AI tools enter the courtroom, judges face new challenges of transparency, accountability, and maintaining their central decision-making role. This installment examines how AI is reshaping judicial reasoning, the risks of overreliance, and why human judgment remains essential to preserving fairness, ethics, and public trust in justice.
Artificial intelligence is producing new forms of evidence—from deepfakes to algorithmic analyses—that challenge traditional evidentiary rules. This installment explores how courts can ensure AI-generated material meets the tests of relevance, reliability, and authenticity under Frye, Daubert, and Rule 702, safeguarding fairness and due process in the age of AI.
The Strong Unitary Executive Theory (SUET) threatens to expand presidential power at the expense of checks and balances. This blog explores how states can respond through litigation, constitutional protections, and collaborative strategies to preserve democratic integrity and federalism in the face of growing judicial deference to executive authority.
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The Future of Community Supervision: A Conversation with Nebraska Probation Administrator Gene Cotter
In this episode of Justice Speaks, Gene Cotter,... -
Professional Accountability: The Most Important AI Guardrail for Lawyers and Courts
A federal judge removed four attorneys from a c... -
Dr. Carmen Gomez on Probation Leadership and Community Supervision
Dr. Carmen Gomez joins Justice Speaks to discus...
