Justice Reinvestment Honored

The American Society of Criminology recognized justice reinvestment, an idea pioneered by the Open Society Institute, with the Presidential Award for Distinguished Contributions to Justice at its annual meeting in Philadelphia on Friday, November 6.

Justice reinvestment seeks to improve public safety more cost effectively, by downsizing state prison populations and budgets and reforming parole and probation practices. The money saved by these initiatives is then reinvested to strengthen community institutions - schools, job creation, affordable housing and health care - in the neighborhoods where people live before and after prison.

The idea was developed by Susan Tucker, who directs the Open Society Institute's After Prison Initiative, and Eric Cadora, a former Open Society Institute program officer who is executive director of the Justice Mapping Center. The Council of State Governments Justice Center, under the leadership of founding director Michael Thompson, has led the initiative in twelve states over the past six years, working with public policy experts, elected officials and local communities.

 "Justice reinvestment is an effective and innovative vehicle to address both the increasing stresses on state budgets and also the growing consensus that after four decades of excessive incarceration, the country is ready to reinvest in public safety strategies that reduce re-incarceration and increase opportunities for individuals and communities," Tucker said. 

The award marked the first time the American Society of Criminology had honored the development of a new idea for justice. Jefrion Aubry, Board President of the Council of State Governments Justice Center and a New York State Assemblyman, accepted the award on behalf of the three organizations.  

For more information about justice reinvestment, see www.justicereinvestment.org.