We work in all 50 states to uphold justice, offer second chances, and ensure safe and healthy communities.

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that combines the power of a membership association, serving state officials in all three branches of government, with policy and research expertise to develop strategies that increase public safety and strengthen communities.

OUR MISSION

The CSG Justice Center develops research-driven strategies to increase public safety and strengthen communities.

OUR GOALS
1. Break the cycle of incarceration

High rates of recidivism increase taxpayer costs, diminish public safety, and tear apart families and communities. We work with partners inside and outside of government to reduce crime and incarceration among youth and adults in contact with the justice system.

2. Advance health, opportunity, and equity

Efforts to make communities safer and healthier are hampered by insufficient behavioral health services, barriers to economic mobility, homelessness, lack of support for victims, and racial and gender inequity. We bring people from diverse systems and perspectives together to improve policy and
practice related to these challenges.

3. Use data to improve safety and justice

Data holds the power to help us understand and change justice systems for the better. And yet, states and counties still know far too little about how their systems perform. Our work transforms information into meaningful insights for policymakers.