Sitting Down with My Best Friend’s Killer - Amanda CarrascoUncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us • Season 2025, Episode 36
Sep 10, 2025 • 20m
“I had a need to tell him how I felt. I wanted him to feel some of my pain.”
Amanda Carrasco, restorative justice advocate and author of "Becoming the Brave One: My Journey to Justice," shares her story of choosing to have a restorative justice meeting with the man who killed her closest friend, Susan, who had taken Amanda in as a teen and become like a sister to her.
In this powerful conversation with host Julie Rose, Amanda explains what restorative justice really is, why it’s not “soft on crime,” and how the process helped her release fear and reclaim her voice.
Learn more about Amanda’s work and new memoir - https://amandacarrasco.com/
Check out the “Top of Mind” episode on the purpose of prisons and their role in the justice system - https://www.byuradio.org/1267d7ae-9f9b-48f8-b005-b7814846ccb6/top-of-mind-with-julie-rose-what-is-the-purpose-of-prison
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Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/09/sitting-down-with-my-best-friends.html
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:42 Meet Amanda Carrasco: Restorative Justice Advocate
00:57 Understanding Restorative Justice
01:46 Amanda's Personal Story: A Journey Through Pain
05:06 The Restorative Justice Meeting: Preparation and Experience
08:12 The Impact of the Meeting: Fear, Healing, and Forgiveness
12:47 Rethinking Justice: Beyond Punishment
15:40 A Vision for Restorative Justice
17:44 Reflecting on Justice and Healing
18:09 Outro and Podcast Recommendation