Advancing Procedural Justice

The research suggests that procedural justice can help restore the legitimacy of the justice system and promote voluntary compliance with the law. Our recent work in this area includes:

• Assessing Criminal Courts: U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch recently highlighted our work with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to assess procedural justice in four jurisdictions: Essex County (Mass.), Allegheny County, (Penn.), Multnomah County (Ore.), and the Utah State Court System.

• Improving Newark: At Newark Community Solutions in New Jersey, Judge Victoria Pratt is forging a new response to minor offending that emphasizes straight talk to defendants and alternatives to jail and fines. Learn more from MSNBC and The Guardian.

• New Tools: In partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance, we have created an evaluation toolkit to help courts assess local practice. We have catalogued practical tips from practitioners around the country. And we have documented efforts to improve courthouse signage at the Red Hook Community Justice Center.

• Lessons for Policing: In recent days, we have worked with Yale Law School professor Tracey Meares, Tom Tyler, and the National Network for Safe Communities to explore how to improve relationships between law enforcement agencies and communities. We have written about how to strengthen the legitimacy of the police and, with the help of the U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Office, how to bring police and teens together for productive conversations.

In all of these ways and more, we are working to increase public trust in justice, improve public safety, and make our justice system more fair and humane. For more information on our procedural justice and technical assistance efforts, click here.