Deputy director says being formerly incarcerated helps him 'bridge' inmates and staff

On the Transparency Talks podcast, Deputy Director Josh Smith said his personal experience informs his approach at the Federal Bureau of Prisons and gives him credibility when speaking directly with inmates.

Smith described visiting institutions soon after being sworn in and doing inmate recalls, recounting an anecdote where an inmate told him nobody with a badge had shaken his hand in more than 30 years. Smith said those moments underline his desire to "bridge" the experience of incarcerated people and staff.

"I want to tell you, for me, when I look at the overarching goal, for me, it's public safety," Smith said, adding he challenges inmates about responsibilities to family and community while also offering investments in education and services that support reentry.

He said his background gave him a unique perspective to both hold people accountable and offer opportunities: "We're ready to invest in them ... But you better get right. We'll get you home to your family." Smith framed the approach as improving outcomes for inmates and reducing future risk to communities.

The host asked whether having a formerly incarcerated deputy director would be remembered positively; Smith said he hopes the bureau becomes a place people are proud to work and that his presence helps create more success stories rather than just punishment.

Smith's personal narrative was presented as part of a broader administrative agenda focused on staff safety, policy changes and communication, not as a legal or judicial claim; the interview includes no documentary evidence of individual reentry outcomes beyond his anecdotes.