Partners for Justice (PFJ) is a New York-based advocacy group that supports individuals and public defenders on cases relating to the criminal justice system. It suggests that current criminal policies reduce trust in the government and civil engagement, increase homelessness, negatively impact an individual’s health, reduce opportunities for education, and decrease economic stability. PFJ supports the idea that poor and Black Americans are treated especially badly by the legal system, calling current policies “racist, punitive, and unduly harsh.” ¹

PFJ recommends reducing the scope of the legal system. ²

Issues

Government Trust and Civil Engagement

Partners for Justice proposes that criminal-justice policies reduce the desire for individuals to participate in civil society. PFJ cited a study from Gallup that stated, that of the individuals polled, only 45% held a great deal of confidence in the police. ³

PFJ claims that negative interactions with police officers can decrease voter turnout by 1.5%. PFJ asserts that politicians who want to increase support and voter turnout, they must adopt criminal policies that focus on improving interactions with people in the legal system, such as police, judges, and lawyers. It also suggests that politicians invest taxpayer money into programs that aid recently incarcerated individuals in finding work, a home, and mental help. ^{1 4}

Homelessness

PFJ suggests that providing affordable housing decreases the crime rate, the rate of recidivism, and improves public safety. PFJ cited an article from the Urban Institute that stated it costs taxpayers about $31,000 to get a homeless person through the legal system and into prison, but it only costs taxpayers about $10,000 for that same homeless person to be put into an affordable home and reduce the chance that the individual ends up in prison. ⁵

PFJ suggests that if politicians invest taxpayer dollars into affordable housing programs, there will be reduced crime rates, public safety would improve, and fewer taxpayer dollars would have to go towards the prison system. ^{6 7}

Health

PFJ suggests that shrinking the legal system and offering taxpayer-funded medical care is a requirement for improving public health and safety. It also suggests that families of incarcerated individuals have more health problems than those without incarcerated family members. PFJ cited an article from the American Journal of Public Health that found that women related to incarcerated individuals are at an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and obesity. ⁸

PFJ proposes that the legal system needs to include taxpayer funded holistic health care for incarcerated individuals and their family members to improve public health. ^{9 10}

Education

PFJ suggests that the current legal system decreases the availability of quality education in low-income communities, and as a result, increases arrests and incarceration in those communities. PFJ believes investing in prison-based education and post-release-based education programs will save taxpayers money and reduce recidivism. PFJ cited a study done by the Vera Institute of Justice that suggested formerly incarcerated individuals who are given financial aid for education are significantly less likely to end up in prison again. Through this reduced recidivism, incarceration costs could be reduced by more than $300 million per year. ¹¹ PFJ suggests that shrinking the criminal legal system is an effective way to keep students in school and reduce recidivism. ^{12 13}

Economic Instability

PFJ suggests that the current criminal legal system undermines the economic mobility of formerly incarcerated individuals and “keep[s] poor people poor.” ¹⁴ PFJ stated that prices for ankle monitors, court fees, and the capital required for alternative sentencing programs, makes it nearly impossible for individuals within the legal system to obtain financial stability. PFJ also suggests that a disproportionate number of Black and Latino individuals are involved with the legal system and in turn it exacerbates interethnic wealth disparities. PFJ suggests shrinking the criminal legal system is critical to reducing poverty. ¹⁵

Funding

Partners for Justice has received grants totaling more than $1.6 million since 2017, with some grants coming from the largest donor organizations in the United States. The three largest donors to Partners for Justice are donor-advised fund providers, namely the Schwab Charitable Fund with $500,000 granted between 2020 and 2021, ¹⁶ the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund with $190,000 granted between 2018 and 2021, ¹⁷ and the Delaware Community Foundation with $170,000 granted between 2019 and 2022. ¹⁸

Eight of the organizations that have donated to Partners for Justice have reported annual revenue of over $1 billion. These organizations are the American Endowment Foundation, the American Online Giving Foundation, the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, the Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund, the National Philanthropic Trust, the Schwab Charitable Fund, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program. Notably, the National Philanthropic Trust reported over $14 billion in revenue for its 2022 fiscal year, ¹⁹ and Fidelity Charitable reported nearly $20 billion in revenue for its 2022 fiscal year. ²⁰

1.  “Carceral Policies, Trust in Government, and Political Engagement.” Partner for Justice, June 2023. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6082d94f16ba7348d54d034d/6540222d84c2bcd680f9c1ff_Carceral%20Policies%5EJ%20Trust%20in%20Government%5EJ%20and%20Political%20Engagement%20(Updated).pdf.
2. “Partners For Justice.” DRK Foundation. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.drkfoundation.org/organization/partners-for-justice/#:~:text=Partners%20for%20Justice’s%20(PFJ)%20mission,work%20with%20low%2Dincome%20clients
3.  Jones, Jeffrey. “Confidence in U.S. Institutions down; Average at New Low.” Gallup.com, July 5, 2022. https://news.gallup.com/poll/394283/confidence-institutions-down-average-new-low.aspx.
4. “The American Punishment System Is Destroying Trust in Government.” Partners for Justice. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.partnersforjustice.org/evidence/the-american-punishment-system-is-destroying-trust-in-government.
5.  Perez, Rudy, Mikaela Tajo, and Brendan Chen. “Homeless Encampment Sweeps May Be Draining Your City’s Budget.” Housing Matters, January 4, 2023. https://housingmatters.urban.org/articles/homeless-encampment-sweeps-may-be-draining-your-citys-budget?utm_source=+urban_newsletters&utm_medium=news-HHM&utm_term=HHM.
6. ^[1] “Housing Is a Crucial Safety Intervention.” Partners for Justice. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.partnersforjustice.org/evidence/housing-is-a-crucial-safety-intervention.
7. “Housing Creates Safety.” Patners For Justice. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6082d94f16ba7348d54d034d/654022aec063cde133a4859e_Housing%20Creates%20Safety%20(Updated%20Formatting).pdf.
8. Lee, Hedwig, Christopher Wildeman, Emily Wang, Niki Matusko, and James Jackson. “A Heavy Burden: The Cardiovascular Health Consequences of Having a Family Member Incarcerated.” AJPH, February 12, 2014. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2013.301504.
9. “Incarceration Destroys Health.” Partners for Justice. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.partnersforjustice.org/evidence/incarceration-destroys-health.
10. “The Carceral System Makes Us Sicker, Not Safer.” Partners for Justice, February 2023. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6082d94f16ba7348d54d034d/654023373912d741719df353_Health%20and%20the%20Carceral%20System%20(Updated).pdf.
11. Oakford, Patrick, Cara Brumfield, Casey Goldvale, and Laura Tatum. “Investing in Futures: Economic and Fiscal Benefits of Postsecondary Education in Prison.” Vera.org, January 2019. https://www.vera.org/downloads/publications/investing-in-futures.pdf.
12. ^[1] “Access to Education Creates Safety.” Partners for Justice. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.partnersforjustice.org/evidence/access-to-education-creates-safety.
13. “Education and the Criminal Legal System.” Partners for Justice. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6082d94f16ba7348d54d034d/654022e470bc5e4ec40934ba_Education%20and%20the%20Carceral%20System%20(Updated).pdf.
14. “Impact of the Carceral System on Economic Stability and Mobility.” Partners for Justice. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.partnersforjustice.org/evidence/impact-of-the-carceral-system-on-economic-stability-and-mobility.
15. “The Impact of the Criminal Legal System on Economic Stability and Mobility.” Partners for Justice, May 2023. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6082d94f16ba7348d54d034d/65402360c68d860c518bf1bd_The%20Carceral%20System%20and%20Economic%20Stability_Mobility%20(Updated%20Formatting).pdf.
16. Schwab Charitable Fund, Form 990, 2020-2021, Schedule I.
17. Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, Form 990, 2018-2021, Schedule I.
18. Delaware Community Foundation, Form 990, 2019-2022, Schedule I.
19. National Philanthropic Trust, Form 990, 2022, Part I Line 12b.
20. Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, Form 990, 2022, Part I Line 12b.