(October 7, 2024) — Equal Justice USA (EJUSA) announced today that it will partner with four new communities to build new restorative justice diversion programs. These programs serve as an offramp for youth, protecting them from the harsh punishment of the criminal legal system while still creating an accountability process that identifies root causes and…
EJUSA launched the John J. Gibbons Fund in 2016 to honor the life and legacy of Judge John J. Gibbons, former Chief Judge of the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Gibbons was a tireless advocate who used his position to protect and expand civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights in our nation….
In a 9-0 ruling, the Washington State Supreme Court has declared the state’s death penalty unconstitutional. Washington is now without a death penalty and becomes the 20th state in the country to reject capital punishment. Statement by Shari Silberstein, Executive Director of Equal Justice USA: “The Washington State Supreme Court today declared what we have…
Earlier this month, Pope Francis declared that the death penalty is never admissible and always unacceptable, pledging that the Catholic Church will work for its abolition world wide. This declaration is a step along a path that has been paved by previous Popes, stretching back to the 1960’s, when Pope Paul VI removed the death penalty from fundamental…
We’re less than a quarter into 2018, and the movement to end the death penalty has already made major strides in state capitols around the country. In Utah, a Republican-sponsored repeal bill passed out of a House committee for the first time ever. Two years ago, Utah came close to ending the death penalty but…
Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. What Happened to Crime in Camden?, CityLab Five years ago, the police department in Camden, NJ was disbanded, reimagined, and born again with fewer officers, lower pay, and a strategic shift toward community…
Washington State has opened an application process for organizations to apply for funds through the Federal Victims Of Crime Act (VOCA). If you are an organization in Washington that has a proven record of serving marginalized populations and underserved communities, you may be eligible to apply through this RFP process. The maximum grant award is…
Reimagining Justice This Month is a monthly digest that highlights communities that are organizing for effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. “Georgia police chief to apologize for department’s role in 1940 lynching,” CBS News One of the recommendations to come out of EJUSA’s Police/Community Initiative…
State capitals are buzzing as lawmakers return for this year’s state legislative sessions. It’s no surprise that the death penalty is on the agenda in so many places, given the growing movement away from executions. There has long been strong support for death penalty repeal in Kansas, but due to many circumstances, repeal bills haven’t…
In 2014, the United States saw its fewest executions in twenty years. Now, less than a quarter of the way into 2015, two new governors – Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania and Kate Brown of Oregon – have declared a halt to executions in their states. In other states, lingering questions over lethal injection are also…