The FreeHer Fund was established in 2020 in partnership between CJI and The National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls. The FreeHer Circle works to support grassroots organizing that is based on awareness of the current political environment’s hostility toward the rights of women and girls. To qualify, organizations must be led…
We are all still sifting through the images of last Wednesday’s violent and deadly siege by well-armed and highly coordinated domestic terrorists of the U.S. Capitol, aided and encouraged by the soon-to-be-twice-impeached President of the United States. Among the white supremacist rioters—the world is learning—were also retired U.S. military, off-duty police, state and federal…
At CJI, we join our brothers, sisters, and loved ones behind bars to mark this anniversary of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights by condemning the daily shredding of those universal human rights inside America’s prisons. Some of the very worst human rights abuses occur inside U.S. prison walls and ICE immigration detention centers.…
The Circle for Justice Innovations (CJI) has been developing and strengthening a funding infrastructure to support grassroots organizations across the United States for 20 years. CJI and its network of grantees are doing the work necessary to bring real, systemic change to the criminal justice system. Their inclusive and collaborative approach to grant-making has allowed…
In the United States, the global leader in incarcerating people, the rate at which we imprison women has surpassed that of men. Studies tell us that as many as 86% of our incarcerated women have suffered physical or sexual abuse. These chilling statistics show a system that both disregards the role of trauma in women’s…
“Urgent” is not a strong enough word to describe our current circumstances. This summer, people most impacted by the criminal legal system face death by murder and disease, inhumane conditions of incarceration, empty wallets and empty cupboards. As we scramble to protect ourselves and one another, our government doubles down on mass incarceration, spending billions…
Like many of you, we started off 2020 with hope—gearing up for our 20th anniversary, celebrating over $6.7 million awarded in grants, and the first round of grants totaling $400,000 awarded through our newest Circle, the FreeHER Circle. But then a raging, uncontrolled pandemic ravaged our low-income communities, left a trail of infections and deaths…
On Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 9:30 AM, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing by teleconference with respect to the property located at 227 Duffield Street and which will be followed by a public meeting. The final order and estimated times for each application will be posted on the Landmarks Preservation…
CJI is proud to announce its 20th year of grant-making to grassroot organizations working to transform the current U.S. criminal legal system. The present moment in history places our movement at a critical juncture. CJI believes that formerly incarcerated and directly impacted movement leaders and their organizations, working at the grassroots and drawing from experience,…
April 1, 2020 Beloved CJI Friends & Supporters, On behalf of CJI, I would like to send my most heartfelt well-wishes for your safety and health during this unprecedented public health catastrophe. Here at CJI, we are taking some very difficult steps to ensure the safety and health of our staff, Funding…