Judge Ray Headen on Mass Incarceration Creep

An excerpt from The Disruptor Podcast where Jan and John interview The Honorable Judge Ray Headen from Cuyahoga County, OH.

Ray grew up in Glenville when it was a hub of excellence and home to Black professionals and county leaders. Even then, however, waves of poverty, violence, and racism plagued the community.

Challenged by these inequities, Headen was inspired to community service through his contact with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other Black community leaders.

Headen was appointed Judge on Cuyahoga County’s Eighth District Court of Appeals by Governor John Kasich in December 2018.

In his time on the bench, he has gained invaluable insight into judicial reform and is currently pushing an initiative that would bring data-backed insights to the judicial system in order to inform the public, reduce wild fluctuations in sentencing, and restore faith in our justice system.