Bridging the Divide
A new paradigm for addressing safety, crime, and victimization
Two years in the making, this report is the culmination of four groundbreaking convenings that brought together criminal justice reformers and crime victim advocates to imagine a new justice system: one that promotes safety, accountability, justice, healing, and fairness and meets the needs of the communities most impacted by crime and violence.The report takes a strong stand in several key areas:
- Race and the double burden of communities of color in the criminal justice system.
- Trauma and its impact on public safety.
- Accountability that is forward looking and breaks the cycle of violence.
- And more.
Bridging the Divide challenges us to think beyond the current approach to criminal justice and public safety. We can create transformational approaches to crime and accountability that truly build safe and healthy communities and help people impacted by crime rebuild their lives. This will require us to move past boundaries that have split advocates into “us” and “them” and realize our shared interest in safety, fairness, and justice.
Equal Justice USA was proud to serve on the team that produced this report and led the convenings that fueled it. We are committed to building a justice system that reflects this new paradigm in all the work we do.