My Criminal Justice Journey
August 25, 2025
Writer: Jacqueline Farnsworth
Editors: Jordana Ingber & Kate Shapiro
Photo: Pinterest
I advocate for criminal justice reform because I inherently believe that all people are good. That may sound naive. But when I encountered a middle-aged man who had spent decades in prison for a crime he committed as an impressionable teenager, I knew he was likely not a bad person. Sure, people do bad things. But everyone has a story.
When reading a book, you somehow always root for the protagonist. As insufferable as they may be to the other characters, you want the best for them. If the writing is good enough, you understand them; it seems as if their feelings are your own. Here, it’s easy to be empathetic. You know the person’s story – their every thought. For instance, while J.D. Salinger’s Holden Caulfield surely has a lot of maturing to do in The Catcher in the Rye, I remember feeling for Holden as he navigated his adolescence.
When you know someone’s story, empathy can come easily. From birth, people are formed and influenced by their environments. Knowing someone’s circumstances, thoughts, and feelings allows us to connect. But with 8 billion people in the world, it’s impossible to always have that context and empathy can seem elusive.
I challenge you to remember everyone has a story, a reason for why they exist the way they do. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Assume good intentions. This is how I approach life: Leading with empathy and a belief in the good of humanity.
This brings up questions around human nature, which has roots in philosophy. Philosopher John Locke’s “tabula rasa” (blank slate) theory suggests that everyone is born empty, and their experiences shape them.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau takes this a step further, theorizing that humans are inherently good but the world can corrupt them. Based on these theories, no one is born bad. Rather, evil and hatred are learned. In a world that can become so divided, I urge you to lead with curiosity about people’s stories and empathy for those unlike yourself. Ultimately, we are all humans trying our best to navigate the volatility of life.
As Cornell Professor Joe Margulies puts it, “There are no monsters. There is only humanity, in its infinite complexity.”
For me, this fundamental belief in the goodness of people drove me to advocate for criminal justice reform, to push for second chances for people who are spending their lives behind bars. Through this work, I have heard so many incredible stories and reaffirmed my belief that no one is inherently bad. Further, I would argue that everyone is good. While people can surely be selfish at times, they often act in the best interests of the people most important to them.
Maybe this will inspire you to join me on my criminal justice journey. Or maybe it won’t. But I hope this serves as a reminder to give people grace – to hear them out, to try to empathize, even if you can’t entirely understand their particular situation.
