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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 02/10/2026

We are pleased to congratulate @jakehorowitz.bsky.social of @pew.org on his election as a CCJ member. Welcome!

Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 01/10/2026

In CCJ’s latest UpClose feature, Women's Justice Commission member and @pathfindernetwork.bsky.social Executive Director Leticia Longoria-Navarro discusses building a justice system that holds people accountable while creating opportunities for change, healing, and the prevention of future harm.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 30/09/2026

Panelists include CCJ Senior Fellow Thaddeus Johnson, Manhattan Institute Nick Ohnell Fellow Rafael Mangual, Baltimore MONSE Director Stefanie Mavronis, and @latinojustice.bsky.social National Criminal Justice Director Michael Mendoza, with moderators Khalil Cumberbatch and @marclevin.bsky.social.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 30/09/2026

How can responses to youth crime strike the delicate balance between protecting public safety and holding young people accountable while avoiding approaches that research has shown to be ineffective? ➡️ Watch yesterday’s webinar: counciloncj.org/event-record...

counciloncj.org

Event Recording: Youth Crime: Falling Numbers, Rising Alarm - Council on Criminal Justice

The Council on Criminal Justice Centering Justice initiative and a panel of experts discussed youth crime trends, what is known about effective approaches, and what communities should consider as they...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 29/09/2026

🚨 There's still time to register! Join us today at 12:00 ET for a discussion on youth crime trends, what is known about effective approaches, and what communities should consider as they confront today’s challenges. ➡️ Register here: events.zoom.us/ev/AqK3JAuN_...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 28/09/2026

A CCJ analysis found that the recidivism rate for people released under the FSA from 2020 to January 2024 was roughly 55% lower than similarly situated people released prior to the FSA. ➡️ Read the full analysis here: fsa.counciloncj.org/fsa/

fsa.counciloncj.org

First Step Act Recidivism Analysis (2024) - First Step Act: An Early Analysis of Recidivism

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 28/09/2026

Signed into law in 2018 with strong bipartisan support in Congress, the FSA was a landmark criminal justice bill aimed at reforming sentencing laws and reducing recidivism.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 28/09/2026

Last week, the Federal Bureau of Prisons announced the launch of the First Step Act Department to focus solely on the successful implementation of the law. ⤵️ spectrumlocalnews.com/us/snplus/cr...

spectrumlocalnews.com

Bureau of Prisons launches First Step Act office

Nearly eight years after the passage of the First Step Act, the Bureau of Prisons is launching a new department focused on implementing the law

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 25/09/2026

A voter whose candidate loses can gear up for a better result in the next election. But a defendant gets no do-over on an arrest, a bail hearing, or a sentencing. And a crime victim whose case is ignored or botched never gets justice. ➡️ Read the op-ed:

thefulcrum.us

From policing to courts, political division is shaping public trust—here is how clear, equal rules can turn the tide.

Equal treatment and clear rules can still revive confidence in the justice system

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 25/09/2026

Writing for @thefulcrum-us.bsky.social, @marclevin.bsky.social and Khalil Cumberbatch argue that the justice system, case by case, must answer one simple question: Will the same rules apply to me, no matter who is in power?

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 25/09/2026

Trust in the criminal justice system is near its lowest point since Gallup began measuring it in 1993, ranking among the least trusted institutions in its survey. And that trust increasingly depends not only on how the system behaves, but on which party is in charge. ⤵️

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 24/09/2026

2) Improve identification of veterans in the criminal justice system and connections to appropriate veteran-specific interventions and services. 3) Strengthen effectiveness and implementation of veteran-specific criminal justice interventions.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 24/09/2026

DOJ's NOFO outlines three goals: 1) Establish and maintain national infrastructure to support the field and coordinate federal resources for veterans in the criminal justice system.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 24/09/2026

➡️ To address these challenges, the Commission recommended establishing a National Center:

counciloncj.org

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 24/09/2026

The Commission found that a lack of coordination among programs for justice-involved veterans resulted in the duplication of efforts, a lack of proper program evaluation, and an inability to disseminate best practices.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 24/09/2026

This week, DOJ released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the National Center for Veterans Justice, a $4 million hub to improve outcomes for veterans in the criminal justice system This closely tracks recommendations from the CCJ Veterans Justice Commission: vjc.counciloncj.org/vjc-reports/... ⤵️

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 23/09/2026

Task Force Chair Nathan Hecht, a former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, says the framework would not necessarily lead an agency to reject license plate readers or other AI tools altogether, but it can help them spot problems early and figure out how to address them.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 23/09/2026

The CCJ Task Force on AI developed a User Decision Framework to help agencies navigate those decisions, providing specific, detailed steps to help criminal justice leaders evaluate AI tools, establish safeguards and protocols, and monitor whether they are working as intended.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 23/09/2026

The Flock controversy raises questions that extend beyond one company or technology. Criminal justice agencies need ways to evaluate AI tools, decide what safeguards are needed, and ensure those protections hold up in practice.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 23/09/2026

Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism is holding a hearing on Flock Safety's AI-powered license plate readers. At the center of this issue: How can criminal justice agencies balance public safety and civil liberties when adopting AI? ⤵️

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 22/09/2026

📅 One week left to register! Join us next Tuesday, 9/29 from 12-1 ET for a discussion on youth crime trends, what is known about effective approaches, and what communities should consider as they confront today’s challenges. ➡️ Register here: events.zoom.us/ev/AqK3JAuN_...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 21/09/2026

The CCJ Task Force on Artificial Intelligence produced a User Decision Framework providing specific, detailed steps agencies should take as they decide whether and how to implement AI tools in justice operations. ➡️ Read the Framework here: counciloncj.org/assessing-ai...

counciloncj.org

Assessing AI for Criminal Justice: A User Decision Framework - Council on Criminal Justice

Criminal justice agencies and practitioners face urgent questions about how to effectively and safely adopt AI tools. This decision guide provides a detailed and structured pathway to help them evalua...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 21/09/2026

San Diego County is considering AI to help probation officers write sentencing reports. CCJ Sr. Fellow Jonathan Wroblewski tells @sandiegouniontribune.com that agencies must proceed with caution, especially when considering tools that may affect a person's rights or freedom:

sandiegouniontribune.com

This document helps courts decide who goes to prison. AI may soon help write it in San Diego.

A plan to build an AI model to assist in the creation of pre-sentencing reports has prompted calls for oversight from the Board of Supervisors.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 17/09/2026

How can leaders better address the gap between constitutional promises and daily reality? CCJ's @marclevin.bsky.social and Khalil Cumberbatch argue in RealClearPolitics that closing this gap is most urgent in criminal justice, where government power is most concentrated.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 16/09/2026

As the final publications from the Task Force, the case studies offer a step-by-step look at how criminal justice leaders can use the framework to ask the right questions, weigh tradeoffs, and establish the safeguards and protocols needed to use AI effectively and responsibly.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 16/09/2026

➡️ State corrections: counciloncj.org/assessing-ai...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 16/09/2026

➡️ Public defense: counciloncj.org/assessing-ai...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 16/09/2026

➡️ Police report writing: counciloncj.org/assessing-ai...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 16/09/2026

OUT TODAY: The CCJ Task Force on Artificial Intelligence released three case studies illustrating how criminal justice agencies and communities can evaluate, implement, and oversee different AI tools in policing, public defense, and corrections: counciloncj.org/critical-cas...

counciloncj.org

Critical Case Studies: Three Assessments of AI in Action - Council on Criminal Justice

The Task Force on AI developed three case studies demonstrating how its user decision framework applies to different AI tools and hypothetical use cases, with a focus on substantive decision-making co...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 15/09/2026

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 15/09/2026

Youth crime has fallen sharply in recent decades, yet "teen takeover" incidents raise legitimate concern. How can leaders ensure safety and accountability while avoiding ineffective approaches? 📅 Register now for our next webinar on 9/29 at 12pm ET: events.zoom.us/ev/AqK3JAuN_...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 14/09/2026

In the Council’s latest UpClose feature, CCJ member and Chief Advocacy Officer at Dream.Org @janosmarton.bsky.social discusses the importance of ensuring that families and communities are not left out of the conversation when discussing ways to improve the criminal justice system.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 10/09/2026

Hosted by CCJ's Centering Justice initiative, a panel of experts discussed the promise and risks of emerging policing technologies, the safeguards needed to protect constitutional rights, and how innovation can be paired with oversight and accountability: counciloncj.org/event-record...

counciloncj.org

Event Recording: Policing in the Digital Age: Balancing Public Safety and Privacy - Council on Criminal Justice

The Council on Criminal Justice's Centering Justice initiative and a panel of experts discussed the promise and risks of emerging policing technologies, the safeguards needed to protect constitutional...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 10/09/2026

How can policymakers and law enforcement balance new tech with privacy and civil liberties? At CCJ's latest webinar, Assistant Chief of the Miami Police Dept. Armando Aguilar said that with any new tool or technology, a clear distinction must be made between appropriate and inappropriate uses.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 09/09/2026

The survey, conducted by @today.yougov.com, found that fear of crime is multifaceted—people fear different offenses, assess their personal risk in different ways, and form different perceptions of how safe they believe their communities to be. ➡️ Read the report: counciloncj.org/fear-of-crim...

counciloncj.org

Fear of Crime in the U.S. - Council on Criminal Justice

Using original survey data, this report examines which specific crimes Americans fear most, how they perceive their risk of victimization, and the factors that help explain those fears.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 09/09/2026

How can we better understand perceptions of crime, notably when trends don't always match how people feel? Governing covers CCJ's recent report examining which crimes Americans fear most, their perceived risk of victimization, and what drives those fears: www.governing.com/key-findings...

governing.com

The Crimes That Weigh on Americans' Minds

Identity theft, online theft and home burglary top the list.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 08/09/2026

There is no easy explanation for these trends. Researchers and practitioners have pointed to a range of possible influences, including changes in criminal justice operations & strategies, technological advances, and broad shifts in society & culture: counciloncj.org/why-is-crime...

counciloncj.org

Why is Crime Going Down? - Council on Criminal Justice

President Trump mentioned the historic homicide drop in his State of the Union. Recent CCJ commentary explores several drivers of the decline.

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 08/09/2026

CCJ's Mid-Year 2026 report found that the homicide rate fell 18% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. That’s down 51% from a recent peak at mid-year 2022, and it puts the national homicide rate on track for another historic low: counciloncj.org/crime-trends...

counciloncj.org

Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2026 Update - Council on Criminal Justice

Examining changes in 13 offenses across a sample of 36 large U.S. cities, CCJ's mid-year analysis shows crime has continued to fall in the first half of 2026, with homicide likely dropping to another ...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 08/09/2026

Leaders across the political spectrum have claimed credit for the national decline in crime. But how much of that credit is earned, and how much remains unknown? @allsidesnow.bsky.social grounds these questions in evidence using CCJ's latest crime trends reports. www.allsides.com/blog/insight...

allsides.com

The Insight: Is Violent Crime Down in the US?

Crime is falling in the US, and politicians are rushing to claim credit. But who deserves it? And is it truly commendable, or has a bad situation just become… less bad?

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 04/09/2026

The report, prepared for CCJ's Women's Justice Commission, shows how those differences can make the basic demands of reentry harder to manage: maintaining housing and employment, attending appointments, accessing health care, and caring for family. Read more: counciloncj.org/health-housi...

counciloncj.org

Health, Housing, and Household Circumstances Among Women on Parole - Council on Criminal Justice

Using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this brief finds that women on parole are more likely to face housing instability, health challenges, and mental health and drug use disorde...

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 04/09/2026

Women on parole face steeper challenges than men on parole—more frequent moves, worse health, and higher rates of mental health and substance use disorders. @stateline.org covers CCJ's report on health, housing, and household circumstances among women on parole:

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 03/09/2026

counciloncj.org

Event Recording: Policing in the Digital Age: Balancing Public Safety and Privacy - Council on Criminal Justice

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Council on Criminal Justice @counciloncj.org · 03/09/2026

How can policymakers and law enforcement balance new tech with privacy and civil liberties? At CCJ's latest webinar, Jumana Musa said what's needed is "the step before the step"—an audit trail on the tech's role, how it's trained, & whether police have real transparency into it.

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