Engaging the Community in Support of Bail Reform Efforts in Los Angeles County
Shadeequa Smith
2019-2021 | Los Angeles County - Probation Department
SHADEEQUA SMITH has dedicated her career to studying the criminal justice system and understanding its impact on individuals, families, and communities. Her efforts are informed by her work with organizations that improve the transition from incarceration into the community, problem solving courts, the U.S. Probation Office, and, most recently, as the director of training for the nonprofit Prison of Peace. Shadeequa holds an LL.M. from Pepperdine University’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, a J.D. from The University of Mississippi School of Law, and a B.A. in criminal justice from The University of Southern Mississippi.
Project
To advance criminal justice reforms, the Los Angeles County Probation Department is revamping operations to provide varying levels of pretrial assessments and post-release services, including community-based services. FUSE Executive Fellow Shadeequa Smith helped increase the presence and understanding of pretrial services in the community, and she is continuing to assist with community outreach and research into best practices in the pretrial probation system.