What really happens behind prison walls — and why should the rest of us care? In this episode of IN THEIR WORDS, we sit down with Rob Jeffreys, Director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and President of the Correctional Leaders Association, to pull back the curtain on one of the nation's most misunderstood institutions. Director Jeffreys explains how modern corrections services have evolved far beyond “lock them up,” becoming a complex 24/7 system that functions like a small city, providing security, healthcare, mental health treatment, education, and job training for thousands of people society often forgets.

His core message is blunt and hard to dismiss: with nearly 90 percent of incarcerated people eventually returning home, rehabilitation and successful reentry aren’t just compassionate ideals — they’re essential to public safety.

Drawing on more than 30 years in corrections across multiple states, Director Jeffreys shares powerful insights on leadership, second chances, and the human realities of the job, including navigating the dual crises of COVID-19 and national racial unrest. He highlights innovative efforts like the Transform Nebraska Network, partnerships with local employers that lead to livable-wage jobs, and the growing role of data and lived experience in reducing recidivism. Candid, thoughtful, and honest, this conversation challenges common assumptions and invites us to rethink what justice, accountability, and redemption can look like in practice.

Episode Notes:
-More about this episode -- including Director Jeffreys full bio -- and the IN THEIR WORDS podcast series can be found at: https://www.citizenarts.org/intheirwords
-Director Jeffreys recently received the Tom Clements Innovation and Achievement Award from the Correctional Leaders Association. For more information about the organization, visit https://www.correctionalleaders.com/
-Director Jeffreys was featured in Justice Trends magazine about transforming correctional services: https://justice-trends.press/transforming-correctional-services-in-america-harnessing-collaboration-and-evidence-based-solutions-for-innovation/
-Music credit: Frederic Chopin, Waltz in B minor. Music by Nesrality from Pixabay
-CITIZENARTS essential mission is to foster greater understanding of civic issues. We'd love to hear from you about this topic! Email jeff.lewis@citizenartscreative.org and follow us on Instagram @citizenartsedu, Facebook @citizenartsedu, Twitter/X @citizenartsedu, Threads @citizenartsedu
-We are a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. Visit https://www.citizenartscreative.org/podcasts to access our growing selection of civics-related and historically significant programs. These include San Francisco: Poster child for big city decline? Or vibrant, iconic City by the Bay?; Wartime Moments in Israel: A Diary of Encounters and Reflections; Hungary’s Cautionary Tale - How Autocrats Broke Democracy; MARCH, an audio drama based on an historically documented moment of Hitler’s rise to dictatorial power; and Liberty vs. Tyranny: Czech Views on Ukraine, Freedom and Democracy Shaped by Strife with Russia
-CITIZENARTS podcasts are presented courtesy of gabbegroup Productions. Copyright © gabbegroup Productions

The making and putting out of fires has always been with us. The Romans created what might’ve been the first municipal-type fire department. Later, night-fire watches were instituted in colonial America’s larger cities. A devastating fire in Boston in 1679 led to the formation of the first paid fire department in North America, with the first volunteer fire company formed in Philadelphia in 1736. Its first volunteer chief? Benjamin Franklin, of course!

These days, there are nearly 30,000 fire departments in the US. About 19,000 are all volunteer and around 5,300 are mostly volunteer. The remainder are career or mostly career. Among them is the Bozeman, Montana Fire Department. In this episode of IN THEIR WORDS, we’re honored to be joined by its Fire Chief – Josh Waldo -- who also serves as the President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Join us as Chief Waldo discusses how the Bozeman FD serves its community, as well as handling fire challenges related to climate change and advocating for fire departments that mirror their communities by bringing more women and others into a traditionally white, male-dominated profession. Plus, the department embraces the newest technologies – what he calls game changers for the fire service – like drones and AI.

He also gives us the lowdown on two of the most cherished firefighter symbols – the fire helmet and the firehouse pole.

Chief Waldo urges us to get to know our local fire department. "I think you’d be really surprised by what you learn. Come visit us," he says. And that’s what we do now.

Episode Notes:
-More about this episode -- including Chief Waldo's full bio -- and the IN THEIR WORDS podcast series can be found at: https://www.citizenarts.org/intheirwords
-More about the International Association of Fire Chiefs: www.iafc.org/
-Music credit: Frederic Chopin, Waltz in B minor. Music by Nesrality from Pixabay
-CITIZENARTS essential mission is to foster greater understanding of civic issues. We'd love to hear from you about this topic! Email jeff.lewis@citizenartscreative.org and follow us on Instagram @citizenartsedu, Facebook @citizenartsedu, Twitter/X @citizenartsedu, Threads @citizenartsedu
-We are a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. Visit https://www.citizenartscreative.org/podcasts to access our growing selection of civics-related and historically significant programs. These include Hungary’s Cautionary Tale - How Autocrats Broke Democracy; MARCH, an audio drama based on an historically documented moment of Hitler’s rise to dictatorial power; and Liberty vs. Tyranny: Czech Views on Ukraine, Freedom and Democracy Shaped by Strife with Russia
-CITIZENARTS podcasts are presented courtesy of gabbegroup Productions. Copyright © gabbegroup Productions

Education, particularly K-12, is being transformed at the federal level, with programs cut, shifted to the states, or absorbed into other federal departments. But most of the work shaping children's education occurs at the state, city and town levels on local boards of education. In this episode of IN THEIR WORDS: What public officials do for us, we are joined by a 17-year veteran of a community BoE, Penny Rashin, who was bitten by the "education bug” after a career in law.

In New Canaan, “education IS the business of the town,” serving the vital schooling needs of youths, and managing the impact of evolving technologies like social media and AI “for the good” of education. “Our job is to make sure the town’s resources and policies give students the skills they need to be successful: technology, social and emotional learning, and knowledge.” Plus offering vast activities in clubs and sports because “you just don’t know what will be the spark.”

Critically, the community is an essential “partner” through public school board meetings or special referendums that, she says, can get contentious, but “it’s good to be feisty! These are important issues in the lives of children.”

This has earned New Canaan’s school system the number one rank in Connecticut – and the 30th best in the US. Perhaps after hearing Penny’s story, listeners might consider running for their local board of education. It’s rewarding and essential to "getting education right" for future generations, and Penny reminds us that “the power is with the voters” – true words for the times.

Episode Notes:
-More about this episode and Penny Rashin's full bio can be found at https://www.citizenartscreative.org/intheirwords
-More about the New Canaan Board of Education can be found at https://www.ncps-k12.org/page/about-the-board-of-education/
-National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) https://www.nsba.org/home
-Music credit: Frederic Chopin, Waltz in B minor. Music by Nesrality from Pixabay
-CITIZENARTS essential mission is to foster greater understanding of civic issues. We'd love to hear from you about this topic! Email jeff.lewis@citizenartscreative.org and follow us on Instagram @citizenartsedu, Facebook @citizenartsedu, Bluesky @citizenarts.bsky.social, Twitter/X @citizenartsedu, Threads @citizenartsedu
-We are a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit educational organization. Visit https://www.citizenarts.org/podcasts to access our growing selection of civics-related and historically significant programs. These include:
Hungary’s Cautionary Tale - How Autocrats Broke Democracy; MARCH, an audio drama based on an historically documented moment of Hitler’s rise to dictatorial power; and Liberty vs. Tyranny: Czech Views on Ukraine, Freedom and Democracy Shaped by Strife with Russia
-CITIZENARTS podcasts are presented courtesy of gabbegroup Productions. Copyright © gabbegroup Productions