The Council on Crime and Justice is a private, non-profit agency that has been a leader in the field of criminal and social justice for over 54 years.  The Council provides an independent voice for a balanced approach to criminal justice. It has also been at the forefront of many new programs in such areas as offender services, alternative sanctions, victim's rights, and restorative justice.

A dedicated Board of Directors with expertise in public policy, social service, and issues related to social and criminal justice lends critical support to the efforts of our staff and is fully engaged in the mission of our organization.

Mission
The mission of the Council on Crime and Justice is to build community capacity to address the causes and consequences of crime and violence through research, demonstration and advocacy.

Causes and Consequences of Crime
Crime and violence are distressing realities in our society.  The many causes include family dysfunction, educational failure, substance abuse and poverty.  The consequences of crime are equally varied and always painful: fear, anger, rage, physical and emotional injury, hatred and bias.

The Council on Crime and Justice addresses the causes and consequences of crime by "building community capacity" through a collaborative process that integrates research, demonstration and advocacy.

Building Community Capacity 
Building community capacity means working with neighborhoods, institutions, and government agencies to develop knowledge, skills, and capacity to implement and sustain strategies that reduce crime and violence.  The Council on Crime and Justice seeks practical, cost effective solutions that improve people's lives, focus on restorative justice, and are sustainable after the Council's participation ends.

Research
The Council on Crime and Justice conducts "action orientated" research.  This means examining the causes of crime and violence for the purpose of developing an appropriate response.  Research is also conducted in conjunction with the planning and design of demonstration projects. Ongoing evaluation is used to modify and improve projects as they are being tested. Outcome evaluations measure each project's results.

The Council on Crime and Justice also evaluates programs administered by other organizations and government agencies, and undertakes studies of current criminal justice issues.

The Council on Crime and Justice directs its "action orientated" research toward problem areas that are pervasive, where solutions will have widespread implications and where too little attention has been given.

For more information about the Council on Crime and Justice's
research activities, click here.

Demonstration
The Council on Crime and Justice develops innovative demonstration projects to identify the best methods of reducing crime and violence. Projects are time-limited and involve rigorous evaluation to determine whether the new approach makes a difference and "why" it is, or is not, effective.

The research and program management staff at the Council on Crime and Justice work as a team to develop and test demonstration projects that, if successful, can be sustained by the community after the Council's involvement ends. This approach fosters innovation by allowing communities to test new ideas before making a commitment to permanent funding.

For more information about the Council on Crime and Justice's demonstration projects, click here.

Advocacy
The Council on Crime and Justice advocates for the widespread utilization of strategies that it has found to be successful. Ongoing advocacy ensures that the lessons of one community are not lost to others. Through it's advocacy efforts: the Council on Crime and Justice educates policy makers about both successful and unsuccessful approaches to reducing crime and violence. The Council's focus on research and demonstration projects, rather than permanent program management, allows it to provide an objective, independent voice.  For more information on our Advocacy Initiatives, click here.

Innovative Strategies
In an era where billions of dollars are spent annually to reduce crime, results matter. Many strategies work, others do not. Knowing the difference is critical.

The Council on Crime and Justice integrates research, demonstration projects, and advocacy to identify new strategies, test their effectiveness and advance the most successful programs. By combining rigorous research with hands-on testing, the Council on Crime and Justice creates solutions that build community capacity to sustain strategies for reducing crime and violence.

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