Criminal Justice

Building a fair and equitable adult criminal legal system.

Tackling Critical Justice Reform

At CCE, we are addressing the most critical criminal legal issues facing the District, including systemic barriers and racial disparities that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. We bring together diverse groups of impacted people and experts to build bridges and ensure that we have the best understanding of how the systems are working and how they could be better.

From advocating for alternatives to incarceration to improving reentry and conditions of confinement, CCE is committed to creating a system that prioritizes rehabilitation and addresses the root causes of crime, ultimately striving for a safer and more equitable community for all.

Man with glasses and braided hair speaking into a microphone at a public hearing on B25-291, the Safer Stronger Amendment Act of 2023.

40%

Approximately 40% of people incarcerated in D.C. have substance use disorders.

2020

D.C. has been without a men’s halfway house since 2020.

1 in 7

In D.C., one in seven adults have a criminal record, and about 20,000 District residents are under some form of correctional supervision on any given day.

95%

While Black people make up 47% of D.C.’s population, they are 86% of the people arrested, 90% of those jailed, and 95% of those in prison.

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Featured & Notable Projects

Second Chance Hiring Alliance

We’re building a coalition of D.C. area employers who provide employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated people.

District Task Force on Jails & Justice

We convened justice system stakeholders to make recommendations to lower incarceration rates by half, end the over-incarceration of Black people, regain local control over D.C.’s criminal legal system, and replace D.C.’s archaic jail with a more humane facility.

Criminal Legal Systems Overview Reports

We publish an annual report on D.C.’s justice system, covering issues including violence and policing, prosecution and the courts, adult incarceration, re-entry, and youth justice.

Sentencing and Incarceration

We are dedicated to ensuring that residents held in D.C. custody live in safe environments and receive the healthcare and rehabilitative services they need.

Recent Criminal Justice News

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Behavioral Health

Criminal Justice

August 4, 2026

CCE and partners lay out vision for new D.C. pre-arrest diversion program

CCE - along with the ACLU of the District of Columbia, the Georgetown Law Center for Innovations in Community Safety, and DC Justice Lab - sent a letter to the D.C. Council in response to the recommendations of the District's Pre-Arrest Diversion (PAD) Task Force. Our letter complements their efforts and shares concerns that the proposed pilot program is too restrictive and misses an opportunity to create a robust alternative to arrest for people experiencing behavioral health and substance use challenges.

Criminal Justice

Civil Justice

Justice Education

Courts

Jails & Prisons

May 19, 2026

Candidate Forums Drew Voters from Around the District

Last month, CCE, along with 30+ cosponsoring organizations, hosted substantive and well-attended educational candidate forums for the 2026 D.C. Mayoral and Congressional races.

Jails & Prisons

Criminal Justice

Sentencing

July 29, 2026

New CCE Data Snapshot: Jail Population Climbs to Highest Level in Over a Decade

CCE's analysis of July 2026 data shows that the D.C. jail population is over 18% higher than a year ago and has grown by nearly 1,000 people compared to summer 2023. A growing population, driven by longer case processing times, increased prosecutions, and a growing court backlog, increases costs, strains staff, and compromises safety at the jail.