Community Justice Action Coalition (CJAC)
The Community Justice Action Coalition (CJAC) - represented by more than 30 organizations, universities, businesses, and churches - builds public support to shift spending and justice policies away from prisons and toward safer communities. CJAC advocates for sound community justice alternatives, innovative educational opportunities, and family supporting jobs. CJAC working committees include:Community Alternatives CommitteeWorks for expanded community alternatives to incarceration by focusing on a network of local Community Justice Centers. The centers reach out to those living and working in the neighborhoods served by restorative justice practices. They are places where the community courts facilitate safe diversion of residents in conflict with the law from the jail and the successful return of residents who have been imprisoned. The committee also proposes a Community Corrections Act for Wisconsin to redirect funds from prisons to innovative local initiatives.
Education Reform CommitteeSeeks alternatives for school dropouts, such as a daytime drop-in center and elimination of zero tolerance policies that force children to leave school. It proposes better solutions to school violence like teen courts and peacemaking circles. Also, it supports local conversations on rights and responsibilities for youths, families and neighborhood organizations in areas experiencing conflict with the law.
Legislation and Policy CommitteeOrganizes secular support and provides legislative recommendations on faith-based initiative for treatment instead of prison in Wisconsin. It monitors proposed criminal justice legislation, researches and prepares testimony when appropriate, and organizes citizen response to proposed County and State initiatives. The committee supports legislative initiatives of CJAC such as the Community Corrections Act.
