ABOUT

We are focused on safely reducing incarceration across the United States while improving conditions for incarcerated individuals and staff.

Who We Are

The Center for Justice and Human Dignity (CJHD) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is safely reducing incarceration while improving conditions for incarcerated people and correctional staff. We also work to promote successful reentry and reintegration. We promote values of human dignity and shared safety while keeping in mind the needs of survivors, directly impacted people, and society at large. Alongside diverse partners, we collaborate with judges on alternative sentencing, correctional leaders on the conditions of confinement, and policymakers on early release strategies.

Challenge

Far from supporting people’s successful return to their communities, many prisons perpetuate trauma, and the experience of lengthy incarceration negatively impacts people, families, communities, and society at large. Yet nearly two million people are imprisoned in the United States.

Opportunity

There is an unprecedented political and public will to change the criminal legal system for true shared safety. We have an opportunity to help end mass incarceration in the United States while reducing harm along the way.

Mission

Our mission is to reduce the use of prison sentences in the United States and improve the conditions people experience while behind bars by centering the criminal legal system on the shared safety and dignity of all people.