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| Massachusetts Coalition for Justice and Reforms | |
|---|---|
| Name | Massachusetts Coalition for Justice and Reforms |
| Formation | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Type | Coalition |
| Purpose | Criminal justice reform, reentry services, policy advocacy |
| Region served | Massachusetts |
Massachusetts Coalition for Justice and Reforms is a statewide alliance formed to coordinate advocacy, service delivery, and policy change around criminal justice and reentry in Boston, Massachusetts, Worcester, Massachusetts, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The coalition connects municipal actors like the Boston City Council and the Massachusetts General Court with nonprofits such as ACLU Massachusetts, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, and community groups including Black Lives Matter chapters and local chapters of the NAACP. Its work intersects with legal institutions like the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and federal entities such as the United States Department of Justice.
Founded in the aftermath of high-profile cases and legislative debates, the coalition emerged during the same period that the 2016 United States presidential election and the aftermath of the Charleston church shooting intensified national conversations about policing. Early conveners included leaders from Greater Boston Legal Services, Dorchester Youth Collaborative, and organizers from Campaign Zero and Drug Policy Alliance. The coalition's formative campaigns paralleled efforts by the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and advocacy around the Second Chance Act, while drawing on models from organizations like Vera Institute of Justice and The Sentencing Project.
The coalition's stated mission centers on reducing incarceration, expanding reentry supports, and influencing legislation in the Massachusetts General Court. Goals include promoting alternatives to incarceration endorsed by groups such as Catholic Charities USA and The Bail Project, increasing access to vocational programs offered by institutions like Bunker Hill Community College and Roxbury Community College, and advancing policy reforms similar to proposals from the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute. It frames objectives around equity principles invoked by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and civil liberties standards upheld by Human Rights Watch.
The coalition operates as a networked alliance with a steering committee composed of representatives from nonprofits, legal clinics, faith-based organizations, and municipal agencies. Member organizations have included Massachusetts Department of Correction partners, Massachusetts Parole Board stakeholders, and community groups modeled on The Legal Aid Society and Community Justice Exchange. Governance documents reflect practices seen in coalitions like National Network for Safe Communities, with periodic convenings hosted at venues such as MIT and Harvard Kennedy School.
Initiatives span diversion programs, reentry employment pipelines, and public education campaigns. Examples include a job training partnership with Jobs for Justice and apprenticeship collaborations akin to programs run by Year Up and AmeriCorps. The coalition has piloted courthouse-based services mirroring Defenders of Rights projects, partnered with health providers like Boston Medical Center for mental health supports, and promoted housing placement strategies used by Coalition for the Homeless and MassHousing. Campaigns have invoked research from Pew Charitable Trusts and evaluation methods promoted by the Arnold Foundation.
The coalition advocates for bail reform measures debated in the Massachusetts General Court, sentencing reform proposals resembling those advanced by The Sentencing Project, and expanded parole policies paralleling recommendations from the United States Sentencing Commission. It supports legislative initiatives co-sponsored by members of the Massachusetts State Senate and Massachusetts House of Representatives, aligns with positions taken by Civil Rights Corps and American Civil Liberties Union, and has filed amicus briefs in matters before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Policy priorities reflect analyses by RAND Corporation and budgetary considerations overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
Funding and partnerships include collaborations with philanthropic organizations such as MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, and local foundations like Boston Foundation. Grant-supported activities have drawn on technical assistance from Harvard Kennedy School initiatives and capacity building by groups like Nonprofit Finance Fund. The coalition partners with municipal offices including the Boston Police Department's community outreach units and state agencies such as Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services for integrated service delivery.
Reported impacts include contributions to legislation amending pretrial practices considered by the Massachusetts General Court, expanded reentry services in counties such as Suffolk County, Massachusetts and Hampden County, Massachusetts, and program evaluations cited by researchers at Northeastern University and Tufts University. Critics—drawing on commentary from publications like the Boston Globe and analyses by think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation—argue the coalition's approaches risk public safety trade-offs or underemphasize victim services highlighted by groups like National Center for Victims of Crime. Supporters counter with recidivism data referenced by Vera Institute of Justice and cost-benefit studies by the Urban Institute.
Category:Organizations based in Massachusetts