Our Priorities Must Shift

Will Simpson at The Future of Public Safety Convening

During his 2023 State of the Union Address, President Biden could mention investment into community violence interventions or non-carceral responses only by pairing it with his stated support for continued investment into policing (this comes on the heels of the Safer Communities Act, where the White House funded 100,000 police in communities across the U.S.). … Continue reading Our Priorities Must Shift

The Death of Tyre Nichols

Photo credit: DisobeyArt

We remain shaken by the murder of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man and father of a 4-year-old son, at the hands of Memphis police in a horrifying display of brutality. The pain we all feel is the too familiar, relentless trauma that policing inflicts. We have been here so many times before. After Minneapolis… Continue reading The Death of Tyre Nichols

The EJUSA Difference

Happy new year! I hope you had a peaceful and joyous holiday season.  Personally, I appreciated the break after a thrilling but fast-paced year. We accomplished so much together thanks to your support, but I want to share one specific highlight of 2022.  When I started at EJUSA, I knew that one of my highest… Continue reading The EJUSA Difference

Stopping the chain reaction of violence

Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Targeting Retaliation: Stopping the chain reaction of gun violence in Paterson, northjersey.com In the aftermath of violence, individuals and communities need safety and healing. The Paterson Healing Collective shows up for… Continue reading Stopping the chain reaction of violence

Ecosystem in Action

Photo taken by Mona Cadena

The night before Thanksgiving, legendary Newark street peacemaker Sharif Amenhotep found himself surrounded by legions of city police officers as they sought to confiscate his mini-bus from his vending area on Branford Place and Broad Street. The incident got particularly dicey when officers appeared to be cutting or doing something to the underside of the… Continue reading Ecosystem in Action

Imagining the Possibility of Safety

"No More Police: A Case for Abolition" by Mariame Kaba and Andrea J. Ritchie, with a forward by Black Visions

At the beginning of the summer, our executive director, Jamila Hodge, sat on a panel in a crowded gymnasium in Newark talking about transforming the justice system.  “The system is going to do what it’s going to do,” she said. “It is a machine, and it was built for a purpose, and that was to… Continue reading Imagining the Possibility of Safety

The Movement for Public Safety

Some time ago, we hatched an idea for a handful of videos, narrated by Newark residents, that would tell about the city’s strides on public safety. That idea culminated in late June with a 56-page report and a two-day convening that brought together dozens of Newarkers, including the mayor, and policy experts and funders of… Continue reading The Movement for Public Safety

Newark: A Blueprint for Safety and Healing

Reimagining Justice This Month: June Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Newark: A Blueprint for Safety and Healing, NewarkSafety.org Newark, as moved through and lived in by its people, is a healing city. It is a city… Continue reading Newark: A Blueprint for Safety and Healing

The Future of Public Safety is Now

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 —… Continue reading The Future of Public Safety is Now

To fight crime, build an ecosystem of safety

Reimagining Justice This Month: February Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. To fight crime, build an ecosystem of safety, The Advocate In Baton Rouge, like cities around the country, the current public safety system’s focus on enforcement… Continue reading To fight crime, build an ecosystem of safety