Aswad Thomas is no stranger to the physical and psychological impacts of crime and violence.

His experience as a victim of gun violence led him to his current work with Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice — an organization that centers the voices of those most impacted by crime in the work of finding and creating solutions to it.

In this episode, Aswad highlights a key tenet of restorative justice: that responses to harm should always be victim-centered. He also shares about victims’ rights and services, and how we can support a reality where the response to harm and crime is one that is rooted in safety for all.