Doug NollI'm called in when human dynamics are getting in the way of strategic leadership execution.

I Taught Murderers to Resolve Conflict

21 Nov 2025 · 1 min

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In this personal testimony, the speaker recounts an ambitious, self‑imposed challenge to transform murderers and other hardened criminals into mediators despite having no prior experience in criminal justice or prisons. Together with colleague Laurel, they entered the world’s largest and most violent women’s prison, where they taught women serving life sentences conflict‑resolution and non‑violent communication techniques. Although initially dismissed as naïve, the program reportedly halted prison violence and turned participants into peacemakers. Their success earned them the 2012 California Attorney of the Year award for creating a more peaceful prison environment. The speaker concludes with a direct appeal to share the video with anyone who needs to see it, positioning the story as proof that anyone can learn to make peace.

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A few years ago, I gave myself an impossible challenge to turn some murderers and other hardened criminals into mediators. But the crazy part was I had never worked in criminal justice or even set foot in a prison. But I had this idea: if I can teach murderers to resolve conflict, then nobody can doubt my methods. So my colleague Laurel and I walked into the largest, most violent women's prison in the world. There we met women serving life sentences, and we started teaching them how to resolve conflict without violence. Look, people said we were naive. They said it would never work. But you know what happened? These women stopped prison violence and they became peacemakers. In 2012, Laurel and I were named California Attorney of the Year for making the prisons peaceful and lowering violence. Someone serving life for murder can learn to make peace, then anyone can, including you. Send this video to someone who needs to see it.