LAL #074 — Jacquie of All Trades: Reentry and the American Justice System

<p>We'd like to first acknowledge and direct you to the last couple of minutes of this episode of Law and Legitimacy. </p> <p>Many of you have been on this journey with us long enough to have shaken the digital hand of a real life hero and friend, Mr. Jay Jessup. It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Jay. Without an ounce of self-promotion we encourage you to revisit (or perhaps visit for the first time) LAL #052 to hear a little of his essence. We deeply love and deeply miss Jay. In case you're reading this, we'll meet again God willing. </p> <p>**</p> <p>Episode #074 is a warming one. Jacqueline Polverari joins us to trace her personal journey into and beyond the American criminal justice system. Jacquie is the Founder and Executive Director of Evolution Reentry Services, an organization that deploys a comprehensive approach to assist women in finding balance within themselves and with their families in post-incarceration life. </p> <p>This is a topic that is close to Norm's heart, of course. Norm routinely talks of the difficulty of managing both the substantive legal burden and psychological duress connected to clients' impending, likely, or active incarceration. </p> <p>Jacquie tells her story of entry into and emergence from incarceration, the events leading thereto, and discusses her particular care for women who face, are facing, or have faced a loss of freedom behind non-violent felony convictions.</p> <p>Her sense of humor is top notch and her long list of personal and professional  accolades tell the real story of Jacquie Polverari. It is that high idle of spirit and mental strength that make Jacquie the unique and intensely benevolent force that she is. </p> <p>Norm was honored to represent Jacquie for the sentencing phase of her legal defense. And it is perhaps not a stretch to say that Norm's commitment to Jacquie's freedom was at one time greater than her own. </p> <p>Such is the soul of civil rights and criminal defense advocacy. And such is the glow about a practitioner like Norm, who