Centering Justice is a collaborative project engaging a diverse range of the nation’s top thinkers and doers in an ongoing, ideologically vibrant conversation about criminal justice policy. Two pillars anchor the initiative. One is an allegiance to data and evidence; the second is a commitment to viewing criminal justice challenges through shared principles that enable people of different perspectives to find common ground on measures that strengthen public safety, protect due process, and promote equity.
Centering Justice is led by two CCJ staff members – Director of Strategic Partnerships Khalil A. Cumberbatch and Chief Policy Counsel Marc Levin. Through writings, interactive events, partnerships, and other means, the duo strives to bring light rather than heat to some of the most vexing issues of our time, from the evolving role of policing to sentencing, incarceration, and racial disparities.
Our Work
Event Recording: Pretrial Justice, Sentencing and Corrections—Finding Common Ground in State Capitals
On May 15, the leaders of the Council on Criminal Justice Centering Justice initiative – Khalil Cumberbatch and Marc Levin – led a discussion exploring bipartisan cooperation on pretrial justice, sentencing, and corrections with three experts from the field.
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GOVERNINGWhy We Need More College Graduates Behind the Badge
Attracting more people with four-year degrees — and more women — into policing is likely to produce better outcomes. Among other things, they are less likely to draw complaints and use force.
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Washington Monthly
America Doesn’t Need Public Mugshots of Donald Trump or Joe Blow
Releasing police photos of those who have been arrested does little good and much harm. Here’s why.
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About the Art
The banner design was created by an adult in custody designer in the Oregon Corrections Enterprises (OCE) Graphic Design program. The mission of OCE, in partnership with the Oregon Department of Corrections, is to promote public safety by providing adults in custody with work and training opportunities in a self-sustaining organization.