2.2 million Americans incarcerated
2.2m
60k
60,000 youth a day incarcerated
The Impact Justice team is focused on building a humane and restorative system of justice in the United States. Through new projects on the ground nationwide, we are advancing strategies to end mass incarceration. Our current justice system destroys lives, futures, and families on a huge scale — especially among communities of color. We work in partnership at the local, state and national levels to pioneer, develop, and scale solutions that can reverse this destructive trend, end abusive policies like putting youth on sex offender registries, and promote restorative justice.
It’s a vital goal and vision — but how can we get there?
It’s urgent work. The US has five percent of this planet’s population, but almost a quarter of its prison population. The current pace of progress in reducing mass incarceration is so slow that at this rate it will take 75 years to cut the prison population in half, according to the Sentencing Project, and 150 years to get back to where we were before America went down this path.
Changes in sentencing laws have begun to make a difference. But to accelerate the process of the decarceration of America, one key is preventing so many of our citizens from entering the justice system in the first place. Impact Justice is partnering with state and local government, law enforcement, victim groups, and advocates across the country on a restorative justice approach to addressing harm.
What We’re Doing
Innovative solutions to prevent or minimize justice system involvement
Restorative Justice Diversion
Building on success in Alameda County, California, where recidivism was hugely reduced among youth, Impact Justice’s Restorative Justice Project will work in partnership with local communities, ultimately reaching 10 cities to promote youth diversion nationwide
Ending Youth Registration
Working state by state and at the national level, Impact Justice’s Center on Youth Registration Reform seeks to end the abusive practice of putting children and youth on sex offender registries
LA Youth Diversion
Working in partnership with Los Angeles County, Impact Justice’s Research and Action Center developed a road map for youth diversion programs designed to keep more than 10,000 kids out of the justice system
