Campaign for Smart Justice receives new major funding for criminal justice reform

The Just Trust for Action announced on Tuesday that the American Civil Liberties Union Campaign for Smart Justice will be part of its inaugural grants to support the movement for criminal justice reform. The Just Trust and The Just Trust for Action committed $36.3 million to organizations that are leading integrated advocacy efforts in the criminal justice field.

“The ACLU’s Campaign for Smart Justice is proud to have the support of The Just Trust for Action to continue our work to cut the nation’s jail and prison populations by 50 percent, challenge racism in the criminal legal system, and create the political will that is necessary for bold reforms,” said Udi Ofer, director of the ACLU’s Justice Division. “We thank The Just Trust for Action for its commitment to criminal justice reform and for investing in multiyear efforts in the states and nationally to build a new vision for safety and justice in America.”

Launched in 2014, the ACLU’s Campaign for Smart Justice is an unprecedented, multiyear effort to reduce the nation’s jail and prison population by 50 percent. Since its launch, the campaign has worked to successfully pass more than 300 laws and policies in dozens of states, mobilizing tens of thousands of activists and working closely with hundreds of allies on the left and right. It has also launched voter education efforts across the nation on the power of district attorneys and their role in fueling mass incarceration. The Campaign for Smart Justice’s efforts have led to tens of thousands of fewer people incarcerated in the United States.

To learn more about the ACLU’s Campaign for Smart Justice, visit www.aclu.org/issues/smart-justice.

To learn more about The Justice Trust for Action, visit https://thejusttrust.org.