Center for American Progress

Donate

Rights and Justice

Criminal Justice Reform

We focus on developing policies to shrink the justice system’s footprint, improve public health and safety, and promote equity and accountability.

People march for the third day since the release of the grand jury report on the death of Breonna Taylor on September 26, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky. (Getty/Michael M. Santiago)

What We're Doing

Ending mass incarceration

Our work is centered around developing and supporting policies that will end unjust punishments and reduce the social and economic harms of mass incarceration, which have disproportionately devastated Black people and other communities of color.

Community safety and justice

We work to advance meaningful alternatives to the criminal legal system that address the root causes of violence, promote community-driven responses to people in crisis, and increase investments that improve public health and community safety over the long term.

The war on drugs

We are working to drastically reduce the criminalization of drugs in America while restoring communities that have been most affected by harsh drug enforcement measures.

Second chances

We advocate for policy options that remove obstacles and barriers for people affected by the criminal justice system while simultaneously highlighting the leadership of affected people in the reform movement.

The Criminal Justice Reform team focuses on developing policies to shrink the justice system’s footprint, improve public health and safety, and promote equity and accountability.

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Default Opt Ins

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form

Variable Opt Ins

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form

Featured Experts

More Experts

Partners & Coalitions

The Criminal Justice Reform team collaborates with a number of justice reform partners at the national, state, and local levels to help build a more progressive justice system.

Recent Work

Latest

Compact View

  • Filter by
  • Type
    • Type
    Show Results
  • Date
    • Date
    • Date

    • to

    Custom range Fixed range
  • Topic
    • Topic
    Show Results
  • State
    • State
    Show Results
  • Toggle Search

  • 225 Results

Clear filters

Fact Sheet: Expanding the Public Safety Workforce Fact Sheet
Social workers provide a man experiencing homelessness with resources in a local park in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Fact Sheet: Expanding the Public Safety Workforce

Cities across the country are investing in safety by incorporating specially trained professionals such as community responders and community violence intervention professionals into their local public safety workforces.

Allie Preston, Rachael Eisenberg, Kirby Gaherty

Expanding the Public Safety Workforce Report
Three people speaking, with two standing outside van and one sitting inside.

Expanding the Public Safety Workforce

Cities across the country are exploring innovative ways to incorporate new professionals, such as community responders and community violence intervention professionals, into their existing public safety workforces to improve outcomes for communities.

Allie Preston, Rachael Eisenberg, Kirby Gaherty

Bipartisan Momentum Is Growing for Automatic Record Sealing Through the Clean Slate and Fresh Start Acts Article
The Capitol Building at sunset

Bipartisan Momentum Is Growing for Automatic Record Sealing Through the Clean Slate and Fresh Start Acts

Even after serving their time, millions of Americans carry an arrest or conviction record that makes it hard for them to access a second chance to rebuild their lives. Congress should pass automatic record-sealing legislation to unlock second chances, boost economic mobility, and improve public safety.

Akua Amaning

Effective Public Safety Messaging Strategies for Local Leaders Past Event

Effective Public Safety Messaging Strategies for Local Leaders

Join the Center for American Progress for an event with public safety and communications leaders about effective messaging on public safety and challenges in communicating crime data to the public.

Center for American Progress | Online

Effective Public Safety Messaging Strategies for Local Leaders Convening Past Event

Effective Public Safety Messaging Strategies for Local Leaders Convening

Join the Center for American Progress for an event with public safety and communications leaders about effective messaging on public safety and challenges in communicating crime data to the public.

Center for American Progress | Online

International Program Demonstrates How Centering Human Dignity in Reentry Improves Public Safety Article

International Program Demonstrates How Centering Human Dignity in Reentry Improves Public Safety

In Brazil, a prison-based reentry program known as APAC centers human dignity in its efforts to reintegrate individuals fully back into society, serving as a model that U.S. leaders and policymakers alike should consider expanding to improve reentry and public safety outcomes.

Akua Amaning

Progressive Prosecutors Were Not Responsible for Increases in Violent or Property Crime Before, During, or After the COVID-19 Pandemic Article

Progressive Prosecutors Were Not Responsible for Increases in Violent or Property Crime Before, During, or After the COVID-19 Pandemic

A newly released report finds no evidence that prosecutors of any type are responsible for increases in crimes in their jurisdictions, concluding instead that hyperlocal social, environmental, and economic conditions are much more likely to drive crime trends.

Lindsey McLendon

Sonya Massey’s Memory Should Spur Federal Action To Meaningfully Change Policing Article
Protesters gather in New York’s Washington Square Park on July 25, 2024.

Sonya Massey’s Memory Should Spur Federal Action To Meaningfully Change Policing

The killing of Sonya Massey at the hands of police should motivate federal policymakers to finally take action that will create real accountability and deliver lasting safety for people of color.

Rachael Eisenberg

Improving Public Safety Through Better Accountability and Prevention Report

Improving Public Safety Through Better Accountability and Prevention

Improving public safety requires a comprehensive set of accountability and prevention strategies that seek to change behavior while addressing the conditions giving rise to crime.

Lindsey McLendon, Rachael Eisenberg, Nick Wilson

Film Screening: ‘The 50’ Past Event

Film Screening: ‘The 50’

A documentary film about a groundbreaking mental health program in a California prison, told by the program’s first 50 participants. The film will be followed by a discussion with the film's director and subjects.

CAP Online | After registering, stream "The 50" during this timeframe:

Film Screening: ‘The 50’ (Online) Past Event

Film Screening: ‘The 50’ (Online)

A documentary film about a groundbreaking mental health program in a California prison, told by the program’s first 50 participants. The film will be followed by a discussion with the film's director and subjects.

CAP Online | Stream "The 50" on this webpage during this timeframe:

Dispatching Community Responders to 911 Calls Report

Dispatching Community Responders to 911 Calls

This report compares three principal models that cities are using to dispatch community responder teams, answers frequently asked questions, and shares lessons learned.

Amos Irwin, Rachael Eisenberg

2023 CAP IDEAS Conference Past Event
CAP IDEAS Conference logo

2023 CAP IDEAS Conference

Join the Center for American Progress as we celebrate 20 years of innovative policy solutions and look boldly forward to a progressive future.

Executive Summary: A Whole-of-Government, Society-Wide Approach to Tackling the Opioid Crisis Fact Sheet

Executive Summary: A Whole-of-Government, Society-Wide Approach to Tackling the Opioid Crisis

This fact sheet summarizes a recent Center for American Progress report outlining the need for a whole-of-government, society-wide approach to addressing the complex challenges posed by the opioid overdose epidemic.

Trinh Q. Truong, Debu Gandhi, Jill Rosenthal, 5 More Marquisha Johns, Mariam Rashid, Dan Restrepo, Akua Amaning, Cleo Bluthenthal

Tackling the Opioid Crisis Requires a Whole-of-Government, Society-Wide Approach Report
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents sift through packages in search of fentanyl.

Tackling the Opioid Crisis Requires a Whole-of-Government, Society-Wide Approach

The opioid epidemic is a complex public health crisis that can be ameliorated by addressing root causes of drug use; expanding access to treatment and harm reduction strategies; and reducing the supply of illicit opioids entering the United States.

Trinh Q. Truong, Debu Gandhi, Jill Rosenthal, 5 More Marquisha Johns, Mariam Rashid, Dan Restrepo, Akua Amaning, Cleo Bluthenthal

Safe Streets for All: An Opportunity To Rethink Traffic Enforcement Article
A police officer directs traffic in Highland Park, Illinois.

Safe Streets for All: An Opportunity To Rethink Traffic Enforcement

The Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets for All program can be leveraged to support community-level innovation in roadway safety efforts, including by rethinking traffic enforcement strategies to improve the physical and psychological safety of Black drivers and others on the road.

Allie Preston

Opinion: Three Black leaders offer one practical solution to reduce police assaults on Black motorists In the News

Opinion: Three Black leaders offer one practical solution to reduce police assaults on Black motorists

Patrick Gaspard partners with Color of Change's Rashad Robinson and the Vera Institute of Justice's Nicholas Turner to discuss the dangers of traffic stops for Black motorists and to urge leaders at the federal, state, and local levels to seek solutions.

CNN

Patrick Gaspard, Rashad Robinson , Nicholas Turner

The Killing of Tyre Nichols Must Serve as a Catalyst to Root Out Racial Injustice in Policing Article
A makeshift memorial near the location where Tyre Nichols was beaten by Memphis police officers on January 28, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Killing of Tyre Nichols Must Serve as a Catalyst to Root Out Racial Injustice in Policing

The killing of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police in Memphis has focused the national attention on the dangers of driving while Black in America and the urgent need for police reform that fulfills the promise of public safety.

Rachael Eisenberg, Brandon Tucker, Hadi Sedigh

What To Read Before the State of the Union Article
U.S. President Joe Biden talks to reporters after returning to the White House.

What To Read Before the State of the Union

The economy; democracy and the courts; and community safety and gun violence are expected to be at center stage as President Biden prepares to address the nation during his second State of the Union address.

Kiera Manser, Rose Khattar, Ben Olinsky, 1 More Rachael Eisenberg

ARPA Funds Continue To Support Community Safety Efforts Through Community Responder Programs Article
A dispatcher speaks to a caller while viewing various computer screens.

ARPA Funds Continue To Support Community Safety Efforts Through Community Responder Programs

With the help of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, governments are expanding their public safety strategies to invest in community responder programs that reduce reliance on law enforcement and provide communities with meaningful emergency management support.

Akua Amaning

Continuing Efforts To Slow Violent Crime Report
Three high school students participate in an event for for Boston’s SuccessLink summer youth jobs program.

Continuing Efforts To Slow Violent Crime

Houston, Boston, and Newark have improved public safety through violence prevention efforts outside traditional law enforcement.

Rachael Eisenberg, Allie Preston

Community-Based Violence Interruption Programs Can Reduce Gun Violence Article
Photo shows a group of five people hugging.

Community-Based Violence Interruption Programs Can Reduce Gun Violence

Violence interruption is a community-based intervention strategy that can reduce gun violence and improve public safety in neighborhoods around the country.

Jahdziah St. Julien

Second Chances Make Our Communities Safer Past Event
An attendee wears a pin that reads “I'm for second chances.”

Second Chances Make Our Communities Safer

Please join CAP and the Clean Slate Initiative for a virtual event on how clean slate policies make our communities safer by increasing employment and opportunities that reduce recidivism and crime.

Give Women a Second Chance—Our Economy Depends on It In the News

Give Women a Second Chance—Our Economy Depends on It

Akua Amaning and Sheena Meade write about how second chance policies can help lift millions of women out of poverty.

Newsweek

Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing Article
View of a Black man in profile, wearing dark winter clothes, walking on a sidewalk holding a large blue bucket. He is scattering de-icing salt in front of a brown brick/stone building with a small grassy area between the building and the sidewalk, although it's entirely covered in a tin layer of snow with brown leaves visible.

Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing

Jurisdictions can take several steps to eliminate the financial barriers imposed by fines and fees, which would help system-impacted individuals clear their records and reenter society.

Gus Tupper, Akua Amaning, Jaboa Lake

Beyond the U.S. Department of Justice Report
A microphone stands near the West Wing of the White House after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump on January 13, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Getty/Drew Angerer)

Beyond the U.S. Department of Justice

The federal government has the opportunity to look to agencies beyond the Department of Justice to advance progressive criminal justice reforms.

Sarah Figgatt

The Facts on Pattern-or-Practice Investigations Fact Sheet
(Getty/Andrew Harnick-Pool)

The Facts on Pattern-or-Practice Investigations

The U.S. Department of Justice seems poised to restore pattern-or-practice investigations to promote constitutional and effective policing.

Kenny Lo

A Criminal Record Shouldn’t Be a Life Sentence to Poverty Report
(Close-up reflection of a white sign with red and black text in a window reading

A Criminal Record Shouldn’t Be a Life Sentence to Poverty

Bipartisan momentum for clean slate and fair chance licensing policies—which remove barriers to economic opportunity for people facing the stigma of a criminal record—has grown significantly in the states in recent years.

Rebecca Vallas, Sharon Dietrich, Beth Avery

How To Address Concerns About Data on Deaths in Custody Report
Cement barricades, barbwire, and fencing surround a police station in Minneapolis on April 7, 2021. (Getty/Los Angeles Times/Jason Armond)

How To Address Concerns About Data on Deaths in Custody

With the U.S. Department of Justice beginning to collect data pursuant to the Death in Custody Reporting Act of 2013, Congress and state legislatures should take the initiative to ensure the dependability of the forthcoming data.

Kenny Lo

Clean Slate Is Critical for a Healthy Democracy Article
Job seekers line up to enter a job fair at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, on June 19, 2013. (Getty/Digital First Media/Orange County Register/Paul Bersebach)

Clean Slate Is Critical for a Healthy Democracy

The automatic clearing of eligible criminal records can help to foster civic engagement and build a healthier democracy.

Maggie Jo Buchanan, Nick Jacobson

5 Discussions That Shaped the Justice Reform Movement in 2020 Article
A protester wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt stands at a memorial event in Jefferson Square Park in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 13, 2021, to mark the one-year anniversary of Breonna Taylor's death. (Getty/Jeremy Hogan)

5 Discussions That Shaped the Justice Reform Movement in 2020

While more must be done to shrink the footprint of the U.S. criminal justice system, the national dialogue around reform during summer 2020 has inspired transformative ideas and tangible policies that can be built on moving forward.

Kenny Lo, Sarah Figgatt, Betsy Pearl, 1 More Chelsea Parsons

The Need To Rebuild the DOJ Office for Access to Justice Article
The U.S. Department of Justice building is seen on a March 2019 evening with one light on, Washington, D.C. (Getty/Drew Angerer)

The Need To Rebuild the DOJ Office for Access to Justice

The Biden administration can immediately act to begin renewing the federal government’s work to reform civil and criminal justice systems.

Maggie Jo Buchanan, Maha Jweied, Karen A. Lash

The Facts on State and Local Elections Fact Sheet
Voters stand in line outside of a satellite polling station in Philadelphia, October 2020. (Getty/Mark Makela)

The Facts on State and Local Elections

State and local elected officials are the key to ensuring that significant reforms are made to the criminal justice system.

Akua Amaning

The Community Responder Model Report
An employee answers calls at the Essex County Regional Communications Center in Middleton, Massachusetts, on June 22, 2017. (Getty/The Boston Globe/Nicholas Pfosi)

The Community Responder Model

Establishing a new branch of civilian first responders can help cities reduce overreliance on the police.

Amos Irwin, Betsy Pearl

Beyond Policing: Investing in Offices of Neighborhood Safety Report
(Protestors march for the third day since the release of the grand jury report on the murder of Breonna Taylor on September 26, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky.)

Beyond Policing: Investing in Offices of Neighborhood Safety

By establishing civilian Offices of Neighborhood Safety, local governments can strengthen community safety and reduce overreliance on police.

Betsy Pearl

Reimagining Federal Grants for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Report

Reimagining Federal Grants for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform

As the movements to end mass incarceration and police violence gain momentum, the U.S. government must overhaul its approach to funding criminal justice reform and public safety.

Mike Crowley, Betsy Pearl

Restoring Integrity and Independence at the U.S. Justice Department Report
(

Restoring Integrity and Independence at the U.S. Justice Department

The next attorney general has a daunting task to rebuild the U.S. Department of Justice; this report contains recommendations from former DOJ officials who served in multiple administrations on how to start that important work.

the Criminal Justice team

How To Reinvest in Communities When Reducing the Scope of Policing Report

How To Reinvest in Communities When Reducing the Scope of Policing

As cities reevaluate the role of policing, the bipartisan Justice Reinvestment Initiative offers lessons for cities on prioritizing meaningful investments in community-driven safety.

Ed Chung, Betsy Pearl

Assessing the State of Police Reform Article
Demonstrators in downtown Washington, D.C., protest the death of George Floyd on June 1, 2020. (Getty/Drew Angerer)

Assessing the State of Police Reform

The nationwide protests following the senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans have started to change how police are held accountable.

Kenny Lo

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Default Opt Ins

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form

Variable Opt Ins

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.