As I sat down to watch “Reimagining Safety” on Amazon Prime, I expected a typical documentary on police reform. However, what I witnessed transcended mere critique; it offered a profound examination of the historical roots and societal impact of policing in America. Rather than providing a summary of the film, I feel compelled to share…
What is safety? For centuries elected officials and lawmakers nationwide have grounded the notion of safety in police, prosecutions, and prisons. But are these truly the foundations of safety? When we explore the idea of safety more deeply, we understand that the traditional meaning — based on the absence of harm, danger, or injury —…
When someone joins the EJUSA team, the organization works to get them to Trauma to Trust quickly to experience the exploration of trauma and its impact on people and communities. My turn came in the fall of 2021. I hit the road, in central New Jersey, at 6 a.m. to get to the training center in…
There have been two constants in Donna Roman Hernandez’s life: trauma and a deep desire to help people. Both elements are deeply entwined. Donna served her community for 30 years as a police officer in New Jersey, retiring as a captain having commanded a domestic violence response team and police in-service domestic violence training unit….
In 2014, I was leading police training for Newark, NJ, when Mayor Ras Baraka took office. This was a crucial juncture for Newark Police Department (NPD). A recession plus a surge in retirements had decimated the department. But that wasn’t the only problem. Before my role at the Police Academy, I worked in Internal Affairs…
Over 500 police and community members have completed in EJUSA’s Trauma to Trust program. Click here to learn more and participate. Summer sunlight poured through tall windows into the community room of a historic Newark building this past June. Long tables formed something like a horseshoe, with chairs lining the outer perimeter. A large projection…
This fall, Equal Justice USA is continuing to lead an effort to facilitate healing and build trust between the community and police with a goal of better responses to trauma in the wake of violence. A team of facilitators will be leading trainings on trauma-informed responses to violence with the Newark Police Department and Newark…
Earlier today, Governor Chris Sununu vetoed a bill that would have ended New Hampshire’s death penalty. He did this despite overwhelming favorable votes in both Republican-controlled chambers of the state’s legislature and after receiving petition signatures from over 50k people across the country who support repeal. Repeal would be a done deal if not for…
EJUSA has taken a big step toward building a national network of people impacted by trauma across the criminal justice system by hosting our first convening in mid-March. Twenty-four leaders came together – traveling from all over the country – for two days of sharing, healing, learning, and planning. They included crime survivors, people who…
Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. “Healing for Vegas,” The Marshall Project EJUSA Executive Director Shari Silberstein reminds us that the survivors of the unthinkable violence in Las Vegas will have extensive and varying needs in order to recover…