About the Book​​

First Steps into Criminal Justice Activism 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.

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What the Book Covers

• Incarceration, policing, youth justice, and surveillance

• Historical context and modern reform debates within the criminal legal system

• Key concepts and terminology essential for understanding justice policy

 

Contributors & Editorial Context

• Interviews with Yale Law Professors Miriam Gohara and James Whitman, along with public defenders, system-impacted youth, and community organizers

• Editorial contributions from staff at the Equal Justice Initiative and the National Police Accountability Project

 

Educational features

• Glossary of key terms and historical timelines

• Guided pathways for civic engagement and community-based learning

 

Public Engagement

Following publication, the book was publicly promoted at an event hosted in partnership with the Jersey City Council.

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Reviews

“I’m so impressed. This is an incredible resource. Congratulations and well done.”
Rebecca Ginsburg, Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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“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

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“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