About Us
The Justice Education Project (JEP) is the first national Gen Z–led criminal justice reform organization. We equip young people to analyze and publicly challenge policing, courts, incarceration, and emerging technologies that shape the legal system. Through research and youth-authored civic storytelling, we help the public and policymakers understand how justice systems operate, who they harm, and which structural reforms advance safety and accountability.
Our Commitment to Equity
The Justice Education Project centers the leadership and lived experience of people and communities most impacted by incarceration, policing, and surveillance. Our work elevates Gen Z–led, community-informed analysis rooted in Black and Brown communities, women and girls, system-impacted people, and others historically excluded from criminal justice decision-making.
Equity at JEP is structural, not symbolic. It is reflected in who produces our research, how our programs are designed, and how our work is developed in partnership with universities, legal scholars, and justice institutions. We advance reform through approaches grounded in dignity, access, and accountability, ensuring Gen Z leadership meaningfully shapes public, academic, and policy conversations.
Where We Work
Justice Education Project operates nationally through partnerships with schools, universities, and justice organizations across 44 states. Our work connects local youth experiences to national conversations on criminal justice, ensuring youth perspectives inform public, academic, and institutional dialogue.
Core Focus Areas
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Criminal Justice Research & Analysis: JEP produces Gen Z–led research, commentary, and analysis on policing, courts, incarceration, and emerging justice technologies. This work is developed in collaboration with legal scholars and university partners and is designed to inform media, institutional, and policy conversations.
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University & Institutional Partnerships: JEP partners with universities, research centers, and national justice organizations to pilot youth-led research, publish public-facing analysis, and host scholar-informed briefings and programs that elevate Gen Z perspectives inside institutional spaces.
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Public Education & Knowledge Translation: JEP translates complex criminal justice issues into accessible, evidence-based insights through books, briefs, digital publications, and rapid-response commentary, ensuring Gen Z perspectives shape public understanding and media narratives.
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Youth Leadership in Public & Institutional Forums: JEP supports young people in contributing to public and institutional justice debates through co-authored research, moderated convenings, educational briefings, and strategic media engagement.