“Communities participating in the Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC) have generated meaningful, changes in their local justice systems,” said Laurie Garduque, Director of Criminal Justice. The MacArthur Foundation made grants to five communities to continue safely reducing jail populations while working to address inequities in the justice system. This round of funding will support the communities’ ability to sustain the strategies they developed during SJC. MacArthur awarded the funding to:
- Pima County, AZ will receive $225,000
- New Orleans, LA will receive $500,000
- Mecklenburg County, NC will receive $228,000
- Los Angeles, CA will receive $925,000
- Cook County, IL will receive $625,000
Since 2015, MacArthur has awarded $381.5 million nationally to reduce the misuse and overuse of jail incarceration and address racial disparities in local criminal justice systems. Garduque said, “Cities and counties were ambitious in setting their goals, and I am filled with a sense of hope when I look back on the Safety and Justice Challenge and the impact we have seen. We are proud of SJC grantee partners and their accomplishments, especially their resilience in response to the pandemic. This initiative was designed to be a foundational starting point for long-term criminal justice reform, and it is heartening to see its legacy unfolding in real time.”
