In this powerful episode, Co-Host, Betty Burns, sits down with special guest, Lee County Alabama District Attorney Jessica Ventiere, for an honest and inspiring conversation about the challenges facing today’s youth, the power of redemption, and how the justice system can be a force for healing, not just punishment.
We dive into Strike Out the Stigma, an outreach initiative aimed at addressing teen mental health and suicide prevention. Jessica shares how this program brings students together in a fun, low-pressure environment to talk openly about the struggles they face in today’s social media-driven world.
We also open up about the difficulties of raising teens in the digital age, and how curated online perfection can distort reality and self-worth. Jessica gets personal, reflecting on her family’s journey, from her father’s felony conviction to her becoming the first college graduate in her family.
You’ll also hear about the DA’s Second Chance Job & Career Fair, which gives formerly convicted individuals real opportunities with major employers like Golden State Foods, offering not just a job, but a future. Just attending can help reduce court fees and create a new path forward.
Plus, Jessica discusses the exciting expansion of the Lee County court system, including the addition of a new Circuit Judge and the county’s first-ever dedicated Public Defender’s Office.
And in a poignant close, we talk about some of Jessica’s most impactful cases, Ava's Law and including her work on the Slesinski cold case, and how her own grandmother’s unsolved murder fuels her passion for justice.
This is an episode about grace, grit, and giving people the chance to rewrite their story.
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