About the Global Criminal Justice Fund

Excessive pretrial detention and inadequate legal aid for indigent criminal defendants are major problems in many criminal justice systems around the world.  Not only can these problems prove devastating for those accused of a crime, but they can also significantly undermine public confidence in national justice systems. Not surprisingly, many of those in pretrial detention tend to be poor or from marginalized communities.  Public apathy to the plight of those in detention is common and fear of crime often fuels unproductive policy debates that seek more punitive measures.  Torture is widespread in many countries and overcrowding and inhumane conditions are commonplace, leaving detainees vulnerable to disease and abuse.

Notwithstanding these obstacles, civil society around the world is working to change the public discourse around criminal justice, highlight injustices within these systems, and raise the profile of the rights of criminal defendants in their countries.  The Open Society’s Global Criminal Justice Fund supports civil society strategies to protect the rights of indigent criminal defendants and confront the overuse of pretrial detention.  The Fund seeks to identify new approaches to criminal justice reform and encourages groups to work together to develop collective advocacy strategies when possible.  In order to elevate the rights of criminal defendants in regional and international debates, the Fund supports links among national, regional, and international groups.

For further information, please see the grant guidelines.