Four new reports show the profound impact of the American criminal justice system on people with disabilities and Deaf individuals and suggest reforms.| Safety and Justice Challenge
In the intricate web of the American criminal justice system, the initial appearance – the first time an individual appears before a court after an arrest – often flies under the radar. Yet, this preliminary stage holds profound implications for an individual’s life and the fairness of the entire system. Shockingly, unlike later stages of […] The post Rethinking the First Step: Why Meaningful Initial Appearances Matter for Justice and Equity appeared first on Safety and Justice Challe...| Safety and Justice Challenge
Jails book and confine more than 10 million people every year in the United States. People incarcerated in jails can experience overcrowding, lack of resources, exposure to violence, and deteriorating physical and mental health. In response to these harsh conditions and impacts on individuals, practitioners and policymakers have pushed to reduce the size of US […] The post Jail Admissions and Violent Crime in the Years Following COVID-19 appeared first on Safety and Justice Challenge.| Safety and Justice Challenge
The Just Home Project–a partnership between MacArthur and the Urban Institute–is expanding to support community-driven efforts to break the link between homelessness and incarceration in more cities and counties. The post Expanding the Reach of the Just Home Project appeared first on Safety and Justice Challenge.| Safety and Justice Challenge
At the heart of every policy change, every system overhaul, and every reform initiative are the lives of real people. There are the individuals who drive the systemic change forward and the individuals whose lives are fundamentally altered by its implementation. Criminal justice reform is no different. As part of its national work to reduce […] The post Transforming Reentry: A Human-Centric Approach appeared first on Safety and Justice Challenge.| Safety and Justice Challenge
Since 2015, we’ve worked with the Safety and Justice Challenge in communities across the country to develop, implement, and study tailored strategies to safely reduce jail populations. Now, we’re embarking on a new effort to synthesize that research into the next generation of reform priorities—and better understand how to effectively reduce racial and ethnic disparities. […] The post Safety, Justice & Research: Tapping into a Decade’s Worth of Criminal Legal Reform Research Insight...| Safety and Justice Challenge
Criminal legal reformers are increasingly adopting a more holistic conception of safety, one where the goals of reducing crime, violence, and recidivism are necessary but not sufficient. This means extending the parameters of public safety investment beyond the traditional boundaries of the criminal legal system. A new policy brief from the Center for Justice Innovation makes […] The post Toward Community Justice: Upstream Investment Is Criminal Legal Reform appeared first on Safety and Ju...| Safety and Justice Challenge
Jails are racialized organizations. Many jails have racialized subcultures, where residents of non-White racial backgrounds face increased segregation, tensions, or violence; limited employment opportunities; and social stigma. Racial disparities in incarceration exacerbate vulnerability to violence, sexual abuse, solitary confinement, and inadequate healthcare. Carceral environments such as jail often manifest racial divisions, with staff frequently exhibiting […] The post Achieving Racial...| Safety and Justice Challenge
Reentering the community after incarceration is a complicated, lengthy process, made more difficult by system failures and lack of support and services. Many survivors have specific needs, but these are rarely considered in reentry programs. Experts suggest making the process more trauma-informed and centering the needs of survivors. The National Center for Victims of Crime […] The post Five Best Practices for Trauma-Informed Reentry appeared first on Safety and Justice Challenge.| Safety and Justice Challenge
Data is a key part of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge, in its efforts to reduce local jail populations across the country. Likewise, a new data-based report by the Prison Policy Initiative highlights a stark reality: Women are disproportionately incarcerated in jails across the country. In stark contrast […] The post Why It Matters That Women Are Disproportionately Locked Up in America’s Jails appeared first on Safety and Justice Challenge.| Safety and Justice Challenge
January is Poverty Awareness Month in America, so it is an appropriate time to look at the early implementation of Illinois’ Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA), which eliminated cash bail for all criminal cases. It became effective on September 18, 2023, three years after its passage. Part of the impetus for the law was to eliminate […]| Safety and Justice Challenge
The Safety and Justice Challenge is reimagining and rebuilding local criminal justice systems — reducing jail incarceration and increasing equity for all.| Safety and Justice Challenge
The Safety and Justice Challenge is a collaborative effort between the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and our many allies. The MacArthur team provides strategic direction and funding for the initiative. Learn more about MacArthur’s Criminal Justice Program.| Safety and Justice Challenge