Working towards meaningful change is rarely simple, but solutions are possible for those willing to embrace complexity, interrogate the truth, and bridge deep divides.
Fixing Justice Grid
Fixing Justice
Volunteers Build First Nationwide Database of Police Records
Fixing Justice
Volunteers Build First Nationwide Database of Police Records
Thousands of volunteers are data scraping public websites to compile police records into a single national database for researchers to mine.
Thousands of volunteers are data scraping public websites to compile police records into a single national database for researchers to mine.
Fixing Justice
Qualified Immunity Might Not Protect Police for Much Longer
Fixing Justice
Qualified Immunity Might Not Protect Police for Much Longer
The U.S. government is considering changes to qualified immunity, a doctrine that protects police from civil lawsuits.
The U.S. government is considering changes to qualified immunity, a doctrine that protects police from civil lawsuits.
Fixing Justice
How Police Spend Their Time
Fixing Justice
How Police Spend Their Time
The New York Times looks at how police spend their time at work, providing insights that could be useful for “unbundling the police” efforts.
The New York Times looks at how police spend their time at work, providing insights that could be useful for “unbundling the police” efforts.
Fixing Justice
Do Police De-Escalation Techniques Work?
Fixing Justice
Do Police De-Escalation Techniques Work?
The public is calling on law enforcement to find alternatives to using force. But do de-escalation tactics actually work?
The public is calling on law enforcement to find alternatives to using force. But do de-escalation tactics actually work?
Fixing Justice
Your Smartphone Can Help End Police Misconduct
Fixing Justice
Your Smartphone Can Help End Police Misconduct
There are now apps, websites, and phone shortcuts designed to help you not only document police misconduct, but also report and protect it.
There are now apps, websites, and phone shortcuts designed to help you not only document police misconduct, but also report and protect it.
Fixing Justice
Converting Prisons Into Farms, Community Centers, and Shelters
Fixing Justice
Converting Prisons Into Farms, Community Centers, and Shelters
Across the U.S., prisons, jails, and detention centers are being transformed from facilities that confine people into ones that support them.
Across the U.S., prisons, jails, and detention centers are being transformed from facilities that confine people into ones that support them.
Fixing Justice
Why Juneteenth (June 19) Could Soon Be a National Holiday
Fixing Justice
Why Juneteenth (June 19) Could Soon Be a National Holiday
Across the U.S., companies and governments are starting to officially recognize Juneteenth, the June 19 holiday also known as Black Independence Day.
Across the U.S., companies and governments are starting to officially recognize Juneteenth, the June 19 holiday also known as Black Independence Day.
Fixing Justice
Rethinking Public Safety: Are Police Always Needed?
Fixing Justice
Rethinking Public Safety: Are Police Always Needed?
The mobile mental health service CAHOOTS handles public safety calls related to mental or behavioral health for the Eugene Police Department.
The mobile mental health service CAHOOTS handles public safety calls related to mental or behavioral health for the Eugene Police Department.
Fixing Justice
This Atlanta Jail is Being Replaced with a "Center for Equity"
Fixing Justice
This Atlanta Jail is Being Replaced with a "Center for Equity"
A decarceration project will see a 1,100-bed Atlanta jail transformed into a “Center for Equity” to serve the local community.
A decarceration project will see a 1,100-bed Atlanta jail transformed into a “Center for Equity” to serve the local community.
Fixing Justice
Street Medics Tend to Protesters in the Midst of a Pandemic
Fixing Justice
Street Medics Tend to Protesters in the Midst of a Pandemic
Across the U.S., groups of volunteer street medics are dispensing medical care to police brutality protestors in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Across the U.S., groups of volunteer street medics are dispensing medical care to police brutality protestors in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
#fixingjustice - Policing
5 Must-Reads on American Police Reform
#fixingjustice - Policing
5 Must-Reads on American Police Reform
In our weekly roundup, we take you inside the fight to reform America’s criminal justice system, exploring potential solutions to this complex problem.
In our weekly roundup, we take you inside the fight to reform America’s criminal justice system, exploring potential solutions to this complex problem.
#fixingjustice - history
Cities Remove Confederate Monuments Following George Floyd Protests
#fixingjustice - history
Cities Remove Confederate Monuments Following George Floyd Protests
City officials are removing Confederate monuments in Virginia, Alabama, and several other Southern states in response to the George Floyd protests.
City officials are removing Confederate monuments in Virginia, Alabama, and several other Southern states in response to the George Floyd protests.
#FIXINGJUSTICE - Policing
Where the George Floyd Protests (and Responses) Have Been Peaceful
#FIXINGJUSTICE - Policing
Where the George Floyd Protests (and Responses) Have Been Peaceful
The George Floyd protests remained largely peaceful in these cities, with protestors and law enforcement occasionally even standing shoulder to shoulder.
The George Floyd protests remained largely peaceful in these cities, with protestors and law enforcement occasionally even standing shoulder to shoulder.
#FIXINGJUSTICE - policing
Seeking Justice for George Floyd
#FIXINGJUSTICE - policing
Seeking Justice for George Floyd
Articles, thought leaders, and organizations worth paying attention to following the murder of George Floyd by police in Minnesota.
Articles, thought leaders, and organizations worth paying attention to following the murder of George Floyd by police in Minnesota.
#FIXINGJUSTICE - re-entry
Hope After Prison
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#FIXINGJUSTICE - re-entry
Hope After Prison
This former inmate is cleaning up his city and helping other ex-cons turn their lives around.
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When Will Aliva got out of prison, he’d paid his debt to society - but that didn’t help him pay his bills. Like many ex-cons, he struggled to find companies that would take a chance on hiring him. Too often, this roadblock results in ex-cons winding up back behind bars as they turn to old illegal activities to make ends meet. He decided to tackle the problem head on and founded a landscaping company, Clean Decisions, that...
#Fixingjustice - policing
F*ck a False Arrest: How to Get out of Jail Free in NYC
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#Fixingjustice - policing
F*ck a False Arrest: How to Get out of Jail Free in NYC
Good Call NYC Fights Bad Policing With a Free Lawyer Hotline: 1-833-3-GOODCALL
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Late at night on the NYC Subway, he was arrested for the heinous crime...of not having a working subway ticket. Fortunately, he had an ace in the hole - 1-833-3-GOODCALL (1-833-346-6322), New York City’s free lawyer hotline. In America we all have the right to a lawyer. But news flash: not everyone can afford one, and even fewer have a number memorized for the legendary “one phone call” you get when you’re arrested. Now,...
#fixingjustice - Harm Reduction
A Day in the Life of a 'Violence Interruptor'
#fixingjustice - Harm Reduction
A Day in the Life of a 'Violence Interruptor'
Freethink followed Andre T. Mitchell, the founder of Man Up!, and his violence interrupter team for a day in...
Freethink followed Andre T. Mitchell, the founder of Man Up!, and his violence interrupter team for a day in Brooklyn as they responded to a recent shooting in a nearby neighborhood.
#fixingjustice - Harm Reduction
Should Violence be Treated As a Disease?
#fixingjustice - Harm Reduction
Should Violence be Treated As a Disease?
Epidemiologist Dr. Gary Slutkin of Cure Violence says we need to treat violence as a disease and a public health...
Epidemiologist Dr. Gary Slutkin of Cure Violence says we need to treat violence as a disease and a public health crisis and employ the same types of strategies we use in medicine to treat violence.
#fixingjustice - Re-entry
Can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Break the Cycle of Violence?
#fixingjustice - Re-entry
Can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Break the Cycle of Violence?
CBT is a promising way to reduce violence, so why has it been so hard to scale?
CBT is a promising way to reduce violence, so why has it been so hard to scale?
#fixingjustice - Re-entry
The Ride Home from Prison
#fixingjustice - Re-entry
The Ride Home from Prison
The "Ride Home Program" sends drivers to pick up former inmates on their first day of freedom to help ensure a...
The "Ride Home Program" sends drivers to pick up former inmates on their first day of freedom to help ensure a smooth transition in those first few critical hours.
#FIXINGJUSTICE - harm reduction
24 Years For a Crime He Didn’t Commit
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#FIXINGJUSTICE - harm reduction
24 Years For a Crime He Didn’t Commit
When a prisoner serving a life sentence is suddenly found to be innocent, it often makes national news. But what happens after the cameras go away?
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There are around 2,500 exonerees in the U.S.—people who were convicted of a crime and then later proven innocent by their own doggedness or new evidence in a case. When they are freed from prison, their lives are often saddled by the same issues that hold back people who actually committed a crime—lack of education, no job skills or employment history, and the stigma of having spent years in prison. While their release is...
#FIXINGJUSTICE - re-entry
This Former Wall Street Felon is Helping Ex-Cons Find Jobs
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#FIXINGJUSTICE - re-entry
This Former Wall Street Felon is Helping Ex-Cons Find Jobs
Doing prison time changed this Wall Street trader’s life. Now he’s helping others get jobs after prison - and stay out for good.
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Richard Bronson’s story could inspire a movie—and that’s not far from what happened. He worked for the firm depicted in The Wolf of Wall Street before getting charged with financial crimes and spending 2 years in prison. While incarcerated, his eyes were opened to the inequities prisoners faced and how daunting re-entry to society was. He decided to do something about it. He started the website 70 Million Jobs, with the aim...
#FIXINGJUSTICE - SENTENCING REFORM
A Mother’s Wish for Her Son’s Killer
#FIXINGJUSTICE - SENTENCING REFORM
A Mother’s Wish for Her Son’s Killer
DeVitta Briscoe never had a chance to request a lighter sentence for the man who shot her son.
DeVitta Briscoe never had a chance to request a lighter sentence for the man who shot her son.
#fixingjustice - sentencing reform
Rising Stars in Criminal Justice Reform
#fixingjustice - sentencing reform
Rising Stars in Criminal Justice Reform
These key players are working from outside the system to lead the criminal justice reform movement.
These key players are working from outside the system to lead the criminal justice reform movement.
#fixingjustice - Prosecution
Exclusive Interview: How Miriam Krinsky is Leading Us to a Smarter & More...
#fixingjustice - Prosecution
Exclusive Interview: How Miriam Krinsky is Leading Us to a Smarter & More...
Her organization is bringing together a new generation of prosecutors with a shared vision of fair, compassionate,...
Her organization is bringing together a new generation of prosecutors with a shared vision of fair, compassionate, and responsible criminal justice reform.
#fixingjustice - prosecution
Can a New Breed of Prosecutor Reform Our Broken System?
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#fixingjustice - prosecution
Can a New Breed of Prosecutor Reform Our Broken System?
Prosecutors are afforded a wide array of discretion within the criminal justice system and wielding that discretion appropriately could mean ending America’s mass incarceration problem.
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Emily Bazelon's new book Charged: The New Movement To Transform American Prosecution And End Mass Incarceration is an incredible tour de force that guides readers through America's broken criminal justice system through the eyes of two young people as they go through the system. The book reveals the breathtaking amount of power prosecutors wield in our modern legal system and highlights the ways that some reform-minded...
#fixingjustice - Policing
Civilian Oversight Is a Solution to Police Misconduct. But is it Effective?
#fixingjustice - Policing
Civilian Oversight Is a Solution to Police Misconduct. But is it Effective?
Creating a civilian review board to oversee police conduct seems like a straightforward solution to disciplinary...
Creating a civilian review board to oversee police conduct seems like a straightforward solution to disciplinary issues on the force. But why is it so hard to implement?
#fixingjustice - Policing
Do We Need More Police Or Better Police?
#fixingjustice - Policing
Do We Need More Police Or Better Police?
American cities are safer than they used to be, but they’re still quite violent, and many economists think they’re...
American cities are safer than they used to be, but they’re still quite violent, and many economists think they’re under-policed. More police could help reduce crime, but only if people trust them to do a good job.
#FIXINGJUSTICE - policing
Independent Watchdog Invisible Institute Helps Police Accountability
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#FIXINGJUSTICE - policing
Independent Watchdog Invisible Institute Helps Police Accountability
The Invisible Institute is making Chicago police complaints easily available to the public—and is helping hold police accountable.
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A Freethink update: It's been several months since we first brought you the story of journalist Jamie Kalven and his influential "Sixteen Shots" expose in Slate that depicted a corrupt Chicago police department in the midst of a cover-up following the racist killing of teenager Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times by Officer Jason Van Dyke on October 20, 2014. Since then, Kalven has written another critical piece, this...
#FIXINGJUSTICE - policing
Why the 6th Most Dangerous City is Turning to Community Policing
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#FIXINGJUSTICE - policing
Why the 6th Most Dangerous City is Turning to Community Policing
Police departments around the country are increasingly looking at community policing programs as a tool to help reestablish trust in the communities they serve.
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While community policing programs are nothing new, they fell out of popularity after a big push in the early 90s due to shifting priorities and budget crunches of the Great Recession. But with growing scrutiny of police and their often strained relationships with minority communities, police departments are increasingly looking to community policing programs to bridge the gap and rebuild trust. The Rockford Police...
#fixingjustice - Policing
Community Policing is Back in Vogue. But Does it Work?
#fixingjustice - Policing
Community Policing is Back in Vogue. But Does it Work?
As police departments look for ways to rebuild trust with their communities, an increasing number are turning to...
As police departments look for ways to rebuild trust with their communities, an increasing number are turning to new community policing programs. But are they effective? As with most things, it depends on what you measure.
#fixingjustice - policing
The Dad Changing How Police Shootings Are Investigated
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#fixingjustice - policing
The Dad Changing How Police Shootings Are Investigated
After his son was killed by police, Michael Bell fought for over a decade to change how we investigate police shootings.
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For over a decade, ever since police killed his son, Michael Bell has been trying to get an independent investigation into the shooting — and he's fighting to make sure that every family is entitled to one, whenever police use lethal force. In November 2004, his son, Michael Bell, Jr., was pulled over in front of his home in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for an alleged traffic violation. Although a dashcam video captures the initial...
Crossing The Divide
The Barber Building Trust Between Cops and His Community
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Crossing The Divide
The Barber Building Trust Between Cops and His Community
A local barber teams up with an officer to ease tensions in their community.
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In the wake of the Michael Brown shooting, Shaun “Lucky” Corbett, a barber in Charlotte, was inspired to do his part to bring peace to his community. Lucky teamed up with Officer Rob Dance to start a mentoring program that has opened up an important dialogue between the officers and the community.
Fixing Justice With Our Partners
Criminal Justice
The Formerly Incarcerated Fighting for Criminal Justice Reform
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Criminal Justice
The Formerly Incarcerated Fighting for Criminal Justice Reform
These formerly incarcerated individuals are fighting to give people who’ve served their time a second chance by advocating for change in one of the country’s most notorious justice systems.
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These formerly incarcerated individuals are fighting to give people who’ve served their time a second chance by advocating for change in one of the country’s most notorious justice systems.
Criminal Justice
Crime Survivors Fight Against Harsh Punishments. Here’s Why.
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Criminal Justice
Crime Survivors Fight Against Harsh Punishments. Here’s Why.
A national group called the Alliance for Safety and Justice has set out to rethink America’s criminal justice system, with a focus on healing rather than punishment.
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A national group called the Alliance for Safety and Justice has set out to rethink America’s criminal justice system, with a focus on healing rather than punishment.
Catalysts
Stopping Gang Violence with Love
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Catalysts
Stopping Gang Violence with Love
This nonprofit is doing the impossible - finding the 10% of gang members responsible for 90% of the crime, and leading them to successful, positive lives.
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“Society gave up on us” - but this community didn’t. Meet UTEC, the organization breaking the cycle of recidivism by helping hardened previously imprisoned gang members walk a better path in Lowell, Massachusetts. UTEC - or United Teen Equality Center - is a non-profit dedicated to stopping gang violence. Obviously, it’s not easy - in Lowell, MA there are over 25 gangs operating, and many gang members have been in prison...
Stand Together
This Restaurant Gives At-Risk Youth a Second Chance
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Stand Together
This Restaurant Gives At-Risk Youth a Second Chance
Cafe Momentum offers an alternative to the revolving doors at Texas jails.
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Chef Chad Houser was a rising star in the Dallas restaurant scene, but after volunteering with kids in the criminal justice system, he felt a calling to do more. He gave up his job to start Cafe Momentum, a restaurant staffed by kids from the criminal justice system. They’re given year-long paid internships where they are taught the skills to succeed in restaurants and society. It’s his way of trying to fix the problems...
Hudson Link
For People in Prison, a Second Chance to Give Back
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Hudson Link
For People in Prison, a Second Chance to Give Back
50% of people released from prison return within three years. This program is changing that.
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Nearly 50% of people released from prison return within three years. But less than 1% of graduates from Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison ever return. By offering college degree programs, their mission is to give people the tools to turn their lives around and give back to their communities when released. Freethink is proud to present this story in partnership with Stand Together. For more information on other...
Catalysts
Earning College Degrees In Prison
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Catalysts
Earning College Degrees In Prison
In the midst of his prison sentence for murder, Sean Pica helped found Hudson Link - an organization dedicated to reducing recidivism and improving lives through higher education.
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In the midst of his prison sentence for murder, Sean Pica helped found Hudson Link - an organization dedicated to reducing recidivism and improving lives through higher education.
Catalysts
OGU: Original Gangsters United Ending Gang Violence
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Catalysts
OGU: Original Gangsters United Ending Gang Violence
For the children of Dallas, these ex gang leaders may be their only chance.
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What do you get when former Bloods and Crips gang leaders come together? Original Gangsters United, a pathway to ending gang opposition, promoting peace, and saving younger generations from senseless violence. Antong Lucky is a former Bloods gang leader in Dallas, Texas. Like most children, Antong never aspired to be a part of a gang or to end up in prison. But sadly, many communities affected by peer pressure and gang violence leave kids with no choice. When Antong left prison, he began working to bring opposing Dallas gang leaders together to put an end to gang violence. And it worked.