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 footprintHow 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 footprintGrounding Criminal Justice Policy in Facts and Evidence
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“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.”
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