PJI believes that racial justice is essential to advancing pretrial liberty and ending mass incarceration.

The Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI) began over 40 years ago as the sole U.S. organization dedicated exclusively to pretrial system reform. While our expertise is grounded in working with the system “insiders” — judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and others — we have realized that powerful and sustained reforms must come from the people most deeply impacted by the criminal justice system, usually Black and Latinx communities.

Today, PJI serves as a bridge between system actors, who historically hold the power in the legal system, and community members, who have a vision for justice and wellbeing, to co-create places where all people feel safe, respected and able to thrive.

To achieve this goal, we work together to identify common values and pursue justice systems that move away from punitive, harmful policies — focusing, instead, on resources that help people heal and live better.

This exhibition was made possible thanks to generous support from the Art for Justice Fund.