In 2018, I left the Department of Justice after a dozen years as a prosecutor. I had seen our criminal legal system up close and came away certain that it was too big, too rigid, and too steeped in its racist origins to ever deliver true justice. I wanted to find the solutions to violence,…
Meet our friend and activist Ms. Sharon Redding. I’m not alone in seeing her as a pillar of her city. She’s worked for the Newark Community Street Team since 2016 as a community advocate. Ms. Sharon is a vital voice connecting her community and its concerns with city and state leaders to build community safety…
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.). …
In a year in which political campaigns and media drove public perception of rising crime to record highs, support for the death penalty in 2022 remains near the lowest it’s been in 50 years. Even among conservatives, support for the death penalty fell five percentage points, despite a barrage of media stoking fear in the…
Six Newark, NJ, residents and five police officers sit in a semi-circle in a local community center. They’re listening as a Black man, mid forties, recounts a tale of being hit in the head by a police officer as a teenager while hanging out with his friends after school. As he finishes his story, he…
Reimagining Justice This Month: September Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Alternatives to Police and Prisons: Activists Share How to Better Address Violence, Teen Vogue Justice reimagined is not only possible, it’s already here. Youth leaders in communities…
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…
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 —…
Pastor Gwendolyn Cook was a preacher before she became a fierce advocate for young women swept into sex trafficking. As a preacher she had the unique position of supporting her congregants in their lowest moments, including while they are in prison. The individuals that stood out to Pastor Cook the most were young girls. Pastor…
A vision of a world where violence is rare is EJUSA’s north star. As we work toward making that vision a reality, we must address the violence that over-policing inflicts on Black and brown communities — which sows enduring fear and distrust. We invite you to watch a short video on Trauma to Trust, our…