Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism.
Philadelphia Judges Move Slowly Toward Being Trauma-Informed, The Notebook
Philadelphia’s Working to Restore Adolescents’ Power program brings trauma to the center of decision-making for youth who have been charged with a crime. Now, that trauma-informed approach has the chance to ripple through the entire justice system – starting with judges – with the goal of steering justice away from incarceration.
Oakland Demonstrates Right Way to Use Restorative Justice With Teens, Youth Today
Cedric never wanted to sit with his parents, teachers, and school officials to talk about the harm he had done by, among other things, bringing a loaded gun to school. But the restorative justice circle he participated in helped change his life. Restorative Justice Oakland Youth is having such a tremendous impact that the Oakland Unified School District will implement the program across the school system by 2020.
Ending Gun Violence in Our Communities, Medium
When Jamal woke up in the hospital after being shot in the face, one of the first people he saw was Mike Texada, a member of the Wraparound Project. Through this hospital-based violence prevention program, Texada and others like him build trust with survivors of violence, and direct them to financial relief, housing, trauma recovery, education, and employment. Over ten years, the program reduced violent injury recurrence by nearly 75 percent.
Michigan Law Enforcement Agency Employs Formerly Incarcerated People to Bridge the Police-Community Divide, Vera Institute of Justice
In Michigan, a sheriff’s department is employing formerly incarcerated people to do community outreach and help community members get the resources they need to live more full lives. This case study addresses the program’s impact in reimagining justice but also looks at why this kind of work can be a real challenge.
A Socially Minded Oakland Architect Who’s Winning Attention and Awards, San Francisco Chronicle
Reimagining justice can happen anywhere, and come from anyone. Deanna van Buren, a visionary, award-winning architect is designing spaces and places that address inequities in the justice system. From designing community support spaces to mobile support services for women impacted by incarceration to job training centers, van Buren is bringing restorative justice principles to design and focusing on racial, gender, and economic equity for all.
