The Just Trust is a philanthropic venture that works to dramatically improve our systems of safety and justice in the United States.
We curate investments from a diverse bench of donors, and deploy them to a powerful and strategically developed network of partners and initiatives at the local, state, and national level in pursuit of a safer and more just America.
The justice system has a long way to go to do better by and for Americans. It’s not helping those moving through it change behavior and come home better. It’s not helping families stay strong and connected. It’s not preventing future crime (it actually makes it more likely), and it’s not even providing good, safe, desirable jobs for those working inside it. What we have instead is a revolving door of punishment and harm. People cycling in and out – of incarceration, of corrections jobs, of violence, trauma and mental illness. We want to change that.
A smaller criminal justice system means: Actively preventing and reducing crime, and building different, more effective systems of accountability and rehabilitation. If we can do this, there will be less people going into the system, more people coming home to their families, and fewer people returning to prison once they are out.
The way we’ve historically addressed crime and violence has lacked accountability, humanity, and frankly, creativity. Let's expand bold, community-centered models to restore relationships and hold each other accountable when there's been harm.
From the moment someone comes into contact with the system to well after they come home, people deserve to be treated as people. This is especially true for communities who have been most impacted by the cycles of harm our system perpetuates.
We need to orient the activities of the justice system away from punishment for the sake of punishment, and toward real safety and accountability outcomes. The system we're working towards will be judged by how it reduces harm, institutionalizes community safety solutions, and builds trust in public safety systems.
A Better justice system won’t happen on its own. It takes intentional coordination between funders, advocates, the public, and people working inside the system itself to make lasting change. At The Just Trust, we’re funding and supporting that collaboration, and helping drive the policy change, storytelling, and innovative solutions that will help shrink the funnel into the justice system, vastly improve the experience inside and the outcomes it delivers, shrinks the funnel out of the system, and helps people stay out for good.
