
Show Notes
Note: Joshua J. Smith served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the time this interview was recorded. On episode 5 of Transparency Talks, Damon West sits down with former Deputy Director Smith to explore a hard truth with a hopeful answer: change is possible when people have tools, purpose, and support. After receiving a sentence of 65 years, an older inmate taught Damon the coffee bean mindset. Fear was real; so was the choice to change. The conversation further explores ...
More from Transparency Talks
Note: Joshua J. Smith served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the time this interview was recorded. Frontline corrections is one of the most misunderstood careers in public service, and that misunderstanding fuels bad narratives about what it takes to keep facilities stable and people safe. We’re joined by Dexter Graham, a correctional officer with more than 20 years in correction. Mandated overtime, extended shifts, missed holidays, and the mental load of walking into a...
Note: Joshua J. Smith served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the time this interview was recorded. The path from incarceration to Deputy Director was unconventional, but the real story is how leadership grounded in listening and visibility can shift the direction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In a unique episode of Transparency Talks, former Deputy Director Josh Smith and Director William K. Marshall III switched seats to celebrate former Deputy Director Smith’s one...
Note: Joshua J. Smith served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the time this interview was recorded. The most dangerous part of prison gangs isn’t only what happens on the yard, it’s what can happen quietly through a contraband cell phone. We’re joined by Amy Kelley, Chief of the Federal Bureau of Prisons National Gang Unit, for a clear look at how gang intelligence is built, analyzed, and turned into decisions that protect staff, facilities, and the public. We dig into t...
Note: Joshua J. Smith served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the time this interview was recorded. A prison system doesn’t fall into crisis overnight, and it doesn’t come back with a single speech either. On this episode of Transparency Talks, we sit down with Director William K. Marshall III for a look at his first year leading the Federal Bureau of Prisons and what it’s like to walk into a $600 million deficit, deep staffing shortages, crumbling facilities, leadership...
Note: Joshua J. Smith served as Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the time this interview was recorded. Training and wellness are inseparable in corrections. The job loads the nervous system with chronic stress: hypervigilance, moral injury, and repeated exposure to conflict. On this episode of Transparency Talks, former Deputy Director Smith sits down with the Chief of Employee Wellness, Dr. Jason Gabel, to unpack the data around staff wellness and how we normalize peer sup...