S4: E6 When Survival Is Punished: Dawn Jackson’s Journey from Prison to Clemency

Dawn Jackson survived years of sexual abuse and violence before being convicted in connection with the death of her abusive step-grandfather. Sentenced to 30 years, she spent more than 25 years at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women before receiving clemency from Governor Phil Murphy in December 2024..com In this powerful conversation, Dawn discusses the trauma that shaped her case, the legal system’s failure to understand criminalized survival, the pain of separation from her children, and the challenges of rebuilding her life after prison. She also shares her advocacy for New Jersey’s Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act and her work through From Darkness to Dawn, LLC, which supports survivors and justice-impacted people as they reclaim their lives. Content note: This episode contains explicit discussions of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and incarceration.   To learn more about Dawn Jackson, her organization from Darkness to Dawn, and to order  her book, From Incarceration to Advocacy: A Life Reclaimed, go to https://www.fromdarkness2dawn.com/.   To learn more about Jessica Henry, go to jessicahenryjustice.com.   Production Editor: Kaz Araki