For nearly 40 years, CJCJ has worked to reduce society’s reliance on incarceration as a response to social challenges. Through community-based programs and impactful policy advocacy, we advance approaches that foster real justice. Our efforts center the communities most harmed by incarceration — from women and children in San Francisco to youth across California and beyond.
CJCJ brings both a bold vision for the future and a rich legacy of reform. Since 1986, we have helped transform jurisdictions nationwide, guiding them away from punitive systems and toward community-driven solutions. Our team has exposed and closed dangerous prison facilities, designed innovative alternatives to incarceration that enhance public safety, and produced groundbreaking research that elevates the true needs of our communities.
We strive to break the long-standing cycle within the American justice system — a cycle marked by abuse, public outrage, and incomplete reforms. By learning from past failures and investing in proven, community-centered strategies, CJCJ charts a path toward lasting change.
We invite you to explore this section to learn more about our guiding vision and nearly four decades of impact. Here, you can read about America’s persistent cycles of injustice, the legacy of our founder Dr. Jerome G. Miller, and CJCJ’s achievements in San Francisco, California, Hawai‘i, Washington, D.C., and communities across the nation.
