First Steps into Criminal Justice Activism: For Youth
Featured in Teen Vogue
About the Book
First Steps into Criminal Justice Activism (2021) introduces young readers to the U.S. criminal justice system, tracing its history, core institutions, and contemporary reform movements.
Written for students and first-time learners, the book combines narrative storytelling, foundational legal concepts, and interviews with practitioners and scholars to provide an accessible entry point into criminal justice reform.
What the Book Covers
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Incarceration, policing, youth justice, and surveillance
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Historical context and modern reform debates within the criminal legal system
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Key concepts and terminology essential for understanding justice policy
Contributors & Editorial Context
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Interviews with Yale Law Professors Miriam Gohara and James Whitman, along with public defenders, system-impacted youth, and community organizers
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Editorial contributions from staff at the Equal Justice Initiative and the National Police Accountability Project
Educational features
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Glossary of key terms and historical timelines
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Guided pathways for civic engagement and community-based learning
Reviews
“I’m so impressed. This is an incredible resource. Congratulations and well done.”
Rebecca Ginsburg, Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
“Impressive. I hope this ignites a real passion among young people to think carefully about these issues. You are the young minds that will move the justice system forward.”
Miriam Gohara, Professor, Yale Law School
“It’s a valuable project, making this kind of information available to people at a younger age. I didn’t encounter this until well into adulthood.”
Ahmed Lavalais, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Cincinnati