Programs

Letter from CSG Justice Center Director

By ngehring

January 17, 2025

A Letter from the CSG Justice Center Director

Dear colleagues and partners,

As my time as director of the CSG Justice Center draws to a close, I write to thank you for the extraordinary support you – our members, partners, and champions – have shown me these past seven years. Your generosity with your time, wisdom, and encouragement has been transformative, not just for me personally, but for our entire organization. Through your steadfast support, the CSG Justice Center team has expanded its reach and deepened its impact in ways I could hardly have imagined when I first stepped into this role.

Throughout my tenure, I’ve sought to honor our organization’s rich history and core mission while ensuring we evolved to meet the pressing challenges of our time. This dual commitment has shaped every initiative we’ve undertaken and every partnership we’ve built.

I take particular pride in how we’ve maintained our unwavering non-partisan approach, bringing together policymakers across the political spectrum to forge consensus-driven solutions. Equally important has been our sustained focus on the dedicated individuals who bring justice to life in our communities—the officers, counselors, attorneys, judges, and service providers who work tirelessly in our nation’s prisons, jails, courts, and community organizations. These public servants, often understaffed and overburdened, make countless daily decisions that shape the real-world experience of justice across our country. By supporting these professionals in implementing evidence-based practices, we’ve helped facilitate the kind of incremental yet transformative progress that, over time and across jurisdictions, amounts to genuine systemic change.

The evolution of our organization during this period has been remarkable. Some key achievements that stand out include:

Our expansion into an ever-more multi-disciplinary organization, bringing deeper expertise in crucial areas such as substance use disorders, housing stability, economic mobility, and health financing. This broader perspective has enriched our understanding and enhanced our ability to deliver comprehensive solutions.

The significant advancement of our research capabilities and data visualization techniques, ensuring that our partners receive not just reliable analysis, but insights presented in ways that illuminate complex challenges and point toward practical solutions.

Our organizational maturation, developing robust internal structures, policies, and accountability measures that ensure we remain excellent stewards of our resources.

The launch of transformative initiatives like Expanding First Response, Justice Counts, Reentry 2030, and Zero Returns to Homelessness—programs that directly address our communities’ most urgent challenges.

Perhaps most meaningfully, we’ve integrated the voices and perspectives of those with lived experience—people who have been incarcerated, their family members, crime survivors, and behavioral health service recipients—into the fabric of our organization. Their insights now form an essential part of our team, advisory board, and partnership network.

Under Megan’s direction, the CSG Justice Center has accomplished goals that were once thought impossible, but Megan made them possible. Thanks to her vision and dedication, initiatives like Reentry 2030 have supported people returning to their communities from incarceration. It’s especially meaningful to me that Alabama joined Reentry 2030, showing how far this work has come. Megan’s impact will be felt for years, and we deeply appreciate all that she has accomplished and the lasting impact of her leadership.

Director Cam Ward
Longtime CSG Justice Center advisory board member and current chair

Looking ahead, I am confident that the CSG Justice Center will continue to uphold its core values while remaining nimble and innovative in serving our members’ evolving needs. The organization couldn’t be in better hands with Marshall Clement stepping in as interim director. Marshall’s 19-year tenure and unwavering dedication to our mission have touched virtually every initiative. He is supported by an exceptional senior leadership team whose diverse expertise will continue to guide and enrich the organization’s strategic direction.

Leading an organization whose mission and impact are as profound as the CSG Justice Center’s has been a rare privilege. While there have been many memorable moments, the opportunity to work alongside each of you has been the greatest honor of all. Thank you for your partnership, your trust, and your commitment to building a more just and equitable system for all.

With gratitude,

Megan Quattlebaum

1. Organizational Growth

192 Employees

Since March 2018, the CSG Justice Center has grown from 114 employees located in 19 states and DC to boasting nearly 200 employees across 33 states and DC. Additionally, our annual revenue was $21.9M in 2018. This year, it’s projected to be $40.4M, representing 76 percent growth in 7 years.

2. Legislative Impact

33 Laws

Over the past 7 years, the organization has helped pass more than 30 laws, whether based on our direct recommendation or informed by staff efforts. Notable federal legislation includes the First Step Act (2018) and the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act (2022).

3. Transformative Initiatives

25 New Programs

The CSG Justice Center has expanded its programs and focus areas considerably during Megan’s tenure, including with initiatives such as Expanding First Response, Justice Counts, Reentry 2030, and Zero Returns to Homelessness and covering racial equity and family engagement.

4. Bipartisan Legacy

11 National Convenings & Congressional Briefings

Bringing together policymakers across the political spectrum, the CSG Justice Center has hosted nearly a dozen large-scale, nationwide convenings and congressional briefings since 2018, many of which included up to 1,000 attendees.