Dear John,

Some stories change minds. Some change systems. The people who tell them are the heart of LEAP's work and the reason your support matters. Their lived experiences illuminate the realities of our justice system and show why elevating these voices is essential to meaningful change. They reveal how much power every justice system actor holds in shaping outcomes and why your support ensures these truths are heard. Like all LEAP speakers, they work to help communities understand those complexities, and your partnership makes it possible for their voices to reach the places where understanding matters most.

Johnn Osborn: When Prosecution Reveals What’s Broken

Johnn Osborn, a former prosecutor in New Mexico, traces his journey to becoming a LEAP speaker back to law school, when he met his friend Jeremy, a master’s level teacher who lost his job after privately using marijuana to manage a debilitating autoimmune disease. The punishment didn’t fit the harm. And as Johnn’s legal career progressed, that imbalance became impossible to ignore.

As a prosecutor, Johnn saw people facing sentences of up to 18 years for low-level drug offenses, sometimes longer than those convicted of second-degree murder. In a majority minority state, nearly every defendant he encountered was Hispanic or Native American. These disparities weren’t theoretical. They were routine.

Rather than accepting the status quo, Johnn worked to change it. Through diversion programs, he helped keep people out of jail entirely, treating substance use first as a health issue. Over time, people began approaching law enforcement asking for help. Trust slowly began to rebuild.

But Johnn’s story also reveals a hard truth. In many communities, treatment resources remain painfully scarce. When people are ready for help, the system often can’t meet them where they are.

“I joined LEAP because I want to help ensure my community has access to treatment and the opportunity to succeed.”

— Johnn Osborn, Chief Deputy District Attorney (Fmr.)

Judge Shanta Owens: Rebalancing Justice from the Bench

Judge Shanta Owens first ran for the bench in Alabama because she believes competence matters when lives and liberty are at stake. Though she had no political background, her experience as a prosecutor gave her a deep understanding of the courts, and when she saw justice compromised, she stepped forward.

From the bench, Judge Owens has worked to balance accountability with humanity. She has long rejected the idea that defendants should be viewed as less than human, believing instead that justice must protect victims while also respecting the rights of the accused.

She has seen how poverty shapes outcomes at every stage of the system, how limited resources, lack of specialized legal counsel, and excessive court fines can trap people long after they’ve served their sentence. Too often, punishment becomes disconnected from fairness, increasing the likelihood that people cycle back into the system.

Judge Owens believes real public safety requires opportunity, not just punishment. She supports policies and programs that provide skills and employment training for people who are incarcerated, helping them build a foundation for life beyond incarceration.

"I believe in prosecution and I’m on the side of law enforcement, but I also believe in being fair. If we’re going to change the system for the better, we’ve got to take a look at some of the policies we’ve instituted over the years and start thinking about what really strengthens communities."

— Judge Shanta Owens

Judge Owens' commitment to fairness reflects exactly why your partnership matters: when you support LEAP, you help elevate leaders who are working toward justice that protects, and respects—everyone.

As we look ahead to the coming year, LEAP will continue to center the voices of public safety professionals who have lived the realities of the system, and who are working every day to make it more effective, more humane, and more just.

And we can only do that because of you.

Your year end contribution helps ensure that LEAP speakers can continue bringing firsthand experience into newsrooms, legislative offices, and community conversations, places where your support helps real change take root.

Thank you for being part of this effort and for helping move public safety conversations toward solutions grounded in experience and impact. This community is stronger because of you!

With gratitude,
The LEAP Team

Sent by Law Enforcement Action Partnership Inc

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