How to Make an Impact on Criminal Justice Reform

Open Philanthropy Project Dec 12, 2018
This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
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Chloe Cockburn: How to Make an Impact on Criminal Justice Reform Giving Compass

Giving Compass’ Take:

• This post from the Open Philanthropy Project explores several opportunities for donors, including a Bronx nonprofit that connects people to legal advice 24/7 and a New Orleans court watching program.

• How might these organizations empower those impacted by the criminal justice system? What are the biggest challenges in this particular area that are of greatest concern?

• Another donation outlet to consider: The Unlocked Futures Fund.

Good Call

What is it? Good Call is a nonprofit that runs a free 24/7 arrest hotline in the Bronx, allowing anyone to connect with a free lawyer right away if they or a loved one are arrested. There are over 14 million arrests in the US every year, concentrated in low-income communities. Good Call’s service helps prevent costly, unnecessary pretrial jail time by ensuring that people who are arrested and their families get legal advice as quickly as possible.

Why I suggest it: Spending even one night in jail can have significant detrimental effects — making it more likely that a person will plead guilty, and putting their housing, employment, parental status, and other key components of their lives in jeopardy.

Court Watch Nola

What is it: Court Watch Nola (CWN) is a New Orleans based court watching program that engages 100-200 volunteers on an annual basis (having trained over 1000 over the past 10 years) to witness court proceedings and take detailed notes on what they observe. CWN compiles data from these notes into reports issued regularly. In 2017, information gathered by CWN contributed to substantially increased scrutiny of the New Orleans District Attorney, Leon Cannizzaro, who was found to be issuing fake subpoenas and jailing sexual assault victims for refusing to testify.

Why support it: CWN believes, and I agree, that systemic change comes if directly-impacted people and the community at large are actively engaged in the process of legal education, direct observation and data collection. Court monitoring, observation and the collection of data can empower the people most affected by the criminal justice system to ultimately lead movements to improve the policies that affect their lives.

Read the full article on criminal justice reform by Chole Cockburn at Open Philanthropy Project.

If you are looking for more articles and resources for Impact Philanthropy, take a look at these Giving Compass selections related to impact giving and Impact Philanthropy.

  • This article is deemed a must-read by one or more of our expert collaborators.
    Click here for more.
    Your Philanthropy – Need vs. Impact?

    Philanthropy is full of good intentions, but none of us gives money away hoping we made a mistake. And yet it happens all the time, in numerous ways. I’ve heard more than one person, when thinking about where to give, say something like “It’s clear this nonprofit needs my support more than the other. This nonprofit might not survive without my contribution and that other one has plenty of money.” Funding Need Ask yourself some questions before taking action. After all, there are certainly times where urgent financial need can be a good criteria for making a grant decision. But just as often it is not. Why are they in such dire need? What are the reasons they may not survive without my money? Why are they so low on cash? And especially, should I fund organizations based on financial urgency or on positive impact? Sometimes a nonprofit might be in a less-than-stellar circumstance because of poor cash planning, questionable program effectiveness, or ineffective leadership. Or it could be a good organization going through a rough stretch too, when they need support most. The point is not to categorically reject or approve giving to an organization in “dire need.” Take a little time to understand why that is the case.

Looking for a way to get involved?

If you are looking for opportunities to learn and connect with others interested in the topic of Crime and Safety, take a look at these events, galas, conferences and volunteering opportunities aggregated by Giving Compass.

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In addition to learning and connecting with others, taking action is a key step towards becoming an impact giver. If you are interested in giving with impact for Crime and Safety take a look at these Giving Funds, Charitable Organizations or Projects.

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