Deborah Carroll

I am a recently retired attorney and registered nurse. I am passionate about criminal justice reform and mental health issues. In Chicago, I worked with Thresholds, a large mental health organization that provides housing, healthcare, drug rehabilitation, and numerous outpatient support services for people with mental illness. With the help of friends and family, we raised money to rehabilitate a Threshold owned 37-unit apartment building that provides supported independent living for people with mental illness. The CEO renamed the apartment building in my deceased son’s name to honor him. Every year we organize a fundraiser to buy Christmas presents for all the residents.

In Tucson, I was an SVP partner for several years. I participated in projects supporting SVP’s selected nonprofits, including working with the YWCA. I continued to look for volunteer opportunities in Tucson that spoke to my heart and passion about criminal justice reform. I learned of Second Chance Tucson and have been working with this organization over the last year.

I have personal experience with the adverse impact of the criminal justice system. My older son struggled with drug addiction and was in Cook County jail for more than six months. He was forced to accept a plea deal for a felony conviction that was not justified to get out of jail and receive drug rehabilitation treatment. He was subsequently denied an excellent paying job because of this conviction. This was devastating to him and me. He died about six months later.