Homepage - Council on Criminal Justice

Who Gets Arrested in America?

This comprehensive analysis of arrest trends is the first of its kind since the federal government stopped releasing detailed arrest data in 2020. It shows that arrests fell sharply in 2020 during the pandemic—and have stayed down since then.

Read the Report

Principles for the Use of AI in Criminal Justice

This framework outlines five key principles to guide the responsible integration of artificial intelligence across law enforcement, courts, and corrections.

Stronger Families, Safer Communities

The CCJ Women's Justice Commission reached consensus on new recommendations calling for tailored justice system responses to prevent crime, strengthen families, improve health, cut taxpayer costs, and break cycles of victimization and incarceration.

Mid-Year 2025 Crime Trends Report

Homicide and other violent crimes continue to fall below pre-pandemic levels in a sample of 42 U.S. cities. CCJ’s mid-year 2025 analysis also shows a year-over-year decrease in 11 of the 13 offenses.

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A Shared Vision for the Future of Criminal Justice Policy

In a time of great division, CCJ is working to find common ground in pursuit of safety and justice for all. That’s why we helped convene leading national organizations from across the political spectrum to co-create a set of bipartisan principles for criminal justice policy.

DOJ Funding Update: A Deeper Look at the Cuts

CCJ's Justice in Perspective series, led by Senior Fellow Amy Solomon, released a new report examining the scope of recent DOJ funding cuts and their implications on public safety, trust in government, and inefficiency and waste.

Read the Report

How big is the footprint of the criminal justice system, and how has it changed over time?

This new resource is a one-stop shop tracing decades-long changes in crime and victimization, arrests, incarceration, and community supervision.

Check out the footprint

Who Gets Arrested in America?

This comprehensive analysis of arrest trends is the first of its kind since the federal government stopped releasing detailed arrest data in 2020. It shows that arrests fell sharply in 2020 during the pandemic—and have stayed down since then.

Read the report

Principles for the Use of AI in Criminal Justice

This framework outlines five key principles to guide the responsible integration of artificial intelligence across law enforcement, courts, and corrections.

Stronger Families, Safer Communities

The CCJ Women's Justice Commission reached consensus on new recommendations calling for tailored justice system responses to prevent crime, strengthen families, improve health, cut taxpayer costs, and break cycles of victimization and incarceration.

Mid-Year 2025 Crime Trends Report

Homicide and other violent crimes continue to fall below pre-pandemic levels in a sample of 42 U.S. cities. CCJ’s mid-year 2025 analysis also shows a year-over-year decrease in 11 of the 13 offenses.

Read the report

A Shared Vision for the Future of
Criminal Justice Policy

In a time of great division, CCJ is working to find common ground in pursuit of safety and justice for all. That’s why we helped convene leading national organizations from across the political spectrum to co-create a set of bipartisan principles for criminal justice policy.

DOJ Funding Update: A Deeper Look at the Cuts

CCJ's Justice in Perspective series, led by Senior Fellow Amy Solomon, released a new report examining the scope of recent DOJ funding cuts and their implications for public safety, trust in government, and inefficiency and waste.

Read the report

How big is the footprint of the criminal justice system, and how has it changed over time?

This new resource is a one-stop shop tracing decades-long changes in crime and victimization, arrests, incarceration, and community supervision.

Check out the footprint

Grounding Criminal Justice Policy in Facts and Evidence

Upclose Spotlight

“Our staff is our most valuable asset, and they have very difficult jobs ... We want our staff to feel valued, have the tools to be successful through training and professional development, and have pathways for their careers.”

“The criminal justice system is the one system that has escaped accountability. [There is] very little transparency, and we’ve extended power to those who work in the criminal justice system without that accountability”

“When the very people [who] we are called to serve don’t see equity and fairness in our service, our work is literally being done in vain. We have to … create a safe space for collectively reimagining our approach to justice issues.”

Latest Posts

Who Gets Arrested in America: Trends Across Four Decades, 1980-2024

This comprehensive analysis of arrest trends is the first of its kind since the federal government stopped releasing detailed arrest data in 2020. It shows that arrests fell sharply in 2020 during the pandemic—and have stayed down since then.

Methodology and Data Sources: Arrest Trends in America, 1980-2024

Using multiple federal data sources, this report rebuilds national arrest trend lines across age, gender, race, and offense categories—restoring national visibility into more than 40 years of arrest patterns.

Event Recording: The State of Crime and Justice: Year-End Insights

Leaders from the Council on Criminal Justice Centering Justice project and other experts discussed what the criminal justice field faced in 2025 and what we might expect in 2026.

Small Grants, Big Impact: How Microgrants Can Boost Community Safety and Justice

Federal grantmaking is a complex process that often leaves out smaller groups and rural communities. This Justice in Perspective brief highlights a microgrant funding strategy, which helps fill this gap by broadening the reach of federal public safety grants.

UpClose With Heather Rice-Minus

This month’s spotlighted member is Heather Rice-Minus, president and CEO of the Prison Fellowship.

Crime in New York City: What You Need to Know

President Trump announced in late October that he would consider dispatching military troops to New York City. This brief examines six-month trends for five different crime types in NYC.