Alumnus Shines a Light on the Heart of Social Work and Criminal Justice
“I was born and raised in a disenfranchised neighborhood where most people I knew rarely had second chances,” recollects Derrick St. Fort. “Too often, their mistakes overshadowed their entire existence. I wanted to change that.”
With his eye on justice for his community, he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology (BS ’05) from Florida State University and became a board-certified criminal defense investigator. “Criminology gave me a strong foundation in fact-finding, but I was left unfulfilled.” After years in the field, he realized he wanted to understand why people made certain choices and how to help them find healthier paths. This calling led him to social work.
“I could be a stronger supporter if I also understood the practice of social work,” he stressed. “FSU’s College of Social Work had a reputation for producing not only excellent practitioners, but also leaders who drive meaningful change. I wanted to learn in an environment that valued both academic excellence and real human connection.”
Derrick returned to his alma mater to earn his Master of Social Work degree while working full-time and found an important mentor who shaped his experience during his program. In a class with Dr. Stephen Tripodi, he learned just how powerfully social work and criminal justice intersect and coexist.
“What I learned in class immediately shaped my work as a mitigation specialist,” he shared. “It helped me tell clients’ stories and connect them with resources that could change the course of their lives.”
He noted just how pivotal the mentorship of Dr. Tripodi was in shaping his career path, with encouragement to not limit himself to just investigations and a reminder to see the bigger picture. “His support gave me the confidence to broaden my vision, not just as an investigator, but as someone who could blend social work with the justice system in transformative ways,” Derrick stated.
He stressed just how important his training through the MSW Program was, preparing him to navigate the complexities of the judicial system process with empathy, resilience and clarity. He credits his social work training with strengthening not only his ability to actively listen to clients and ground him in evidence-based practice, but also with effectively analyzing and supporting clients while pushing for broader, systems-level change.
After graduation, Derrick continued in investigations but leaned more heavily into criminal defense mitigation. In this setting, he was able to tell clients’ stories, identify underlying trauma, and offer treatment and resource options. He started at the state level but has since transitioned into federal cases.
As a board-certified criminal defense investigator, licensed private investigator and mitigator with more than twenty years of experience, Derrick decided to expand his impact by founding Mitigation and Justice, an educational platform dedicated to informing the public, working towards second chances for justice-involved individuals and training others on the power of mitigation in the justice system.
At the heart of Mitigation and Justice is the concept of restorative justice, which recognizes the humanity of the offender. Derrick has made it his mission to show that mitigation can be a crucial tool for restorative justice in repairing harm caused by crimes committed, restoring relationships between victims, offenders and communities, and really addressing underlying trauma and issues including substance use, mental and behavioral health and poverty.
Derrick has continued this work as a council member of the Florida Coalition of Higher Education in Prison and the Florida Prison Education Project, both initiatives housed at the University of Central Florida. As a council member, Derrick shares stories that help strengthen support and resources through education for justice-involved individuals at all phases of their journey. “Education is one of the most powerful tools to break cycles of incarceration,” he explained. “Providing reentry resources helps people return to society with a stronger foundation, making communities safer in the process.”
Derrick was also selected as the council’s keynote speaker, a role he was drawn to because “I work with incarcerated individuals and have witnessed their capacity for transformation.” He sees these programs as essential for restoring dignity, healing and opening doors for people that society may write off.
This year, Derrick was able to share his message of compassion for justice-involved people with a broader audience with the publication of his book, Mitigation and Justice: Where the Truth Meets the Heart of the Story.
“Today, I work with people facing some of the hardest moments of their lives, helping to create second chances through both accountability and compassion,” he described. “The work can be difficult, but if you stay grounded in your ‘why,’ every step feels purposeful. Lead with your mind and your heart.