The National Participatory Defense Network

Mission

As an organization and community, Silicon Valley De-Bug has been a part of the national movement marching in the streets demanding police accountability for 19 years, supporting families who had lost loved ones to police. But the violence of the criminal justice system continues to injure people beyond the point of contact with police.

​For us, the connection of marching in the streets to oppose police violence, and standing with the community in the courtroom to challenge mass incarceration go hand in hand. Connecting the movement from advocacy in the streets to packing courtrooms led us to creating an approach called participatory defense -- an organizing model we've developed at Silicon Valley De-Bug's Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project. Led by the very families whose loved ones are facing charges in the system, participatory defense is a community organizing model for people facing charges, their families, and communities to impact the outcome of cases and transform the landscape of power in the court system.  It is a model that has been developed in the last eleven years in San Jose, CA. Since then, we've shared the model and participatory defense is being implemented in various cities across the country. 

*Financial information for The National Participatory Defense Network is sourced from its fiscal sponsor, Silicon Valley De-Bug.

Organization Information