By Thomas Clouse

Published in The Spokesman Review on November 4, 2012

“Virtually every stakeholder, from new Spokane police Chief Frank Straub to judges to mental health professionals, will meet Friday for the Smart Justice Symposium, an all-day event at Northern Quest Resort and Casino.

” ‘The whole idea is a safer community and less cost and doing things that actually change people’s lives so they don’t have to go back into the system,’ said attorney Breean Beggs, the event’s planning chairman. ‘All the speakers are people working in the trenches. This is not theoretical. This is real. This day is to give the community a base line of information of what is actually possible.’ ”

Read More: Symposium will discuss future of criminal justice system