Before They Were Criminals

Please tune in to this riveting conversation between host Frankie Picasso and her guest, Dr. Smith, a renowned expert in child and adolescent development and author of Before Their Crimes: What We’re Misunderstanding About Childhood Trauma, Youth Crime, and the Path to Healing, joins Frankie for an eye-opening conversation about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)—the hidden wounds shaping lives and, in some cases, leading to tragic outcomes.

With 35 years of clinical practice and academic leadership at USC’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Dr. Smith unpacks the science and soul behind the choices children make under the weight of toxic stress and trauma.

She candidly addresses:

✔️ Why some children commit unthinkable acts

✔️ How our stress response systems can be permanently altered

✔️ The role environment plays in shaping behavior

✔️ What true healing from trauma looks like—and how it can begin

And yes, the Menendez Brothers’ recent bid for resentencing is part of the conversation—offering timely context to a national conversation about justice, trauma, and what we owe the youngest among us.