overview
The mission of Common Justice is to advance solutions to violence that transform the lives of those harmed and foster racial equity without relying on incarceration. Anchored in this mission, the Common Justice Practitioners Lab is a 10-month cohort-based training and practice lab available to practitioners who are committed to building pathways to divert cases of serious violence in adult courts away from prison sentences and toward strategies that hold people accountable for harm, break cycles of violence, and secure safety, healing, and justice for survivors. It is designed for those who want to be in community as they build and implement impactful diversion programs for serious violence.
The Lab is designed to be collaborative and interactive, seeking to draw from the experiences of the Common Justice team and Lab participants as we grapple with shared challenges and co-create the practices and conditions necessary to divert violence well.
who is this for
Common Justice’s Practitioners Lab brings together practitioners from jurisdictions nationwide whose unique perspectives and experiences form a diverse community united by a common goal: addressing serious violence in adult courts such as attempted murders, robberies, and serious assaults (our focus is not intimate partner or sexual violence) through restorative justice as a viable alternative to incarceration.
Our primary focus is on empowering practitioners deeply embedded in their communities, those dedicated to supporting the diversion of adults from the criminal legal system, and those actively involved in developing and implementing restorative and transformative interventions.
Participants in The Lab include:
- Community Organizers: Individuals rooted in community, igniting change at the grassroots level and mobilizing resources and people toward systemic change.
- Restorative Justice Practitioners: Skilled professionals seeking to enhance their expertise, particularly in addressing serious violence, grounded in principles of empathy, accountability, and rigorous standards of practice.
- Organizational Leaders: Visionaries at the helm of institutions, seeking to integrate effective, proven strategies to address serious violence.
- Healers: Individuals employing spiritual, emotional, or physical healing modalities as they support people in navigating trauma, establishing self-care practices, and cultivating resilience.
- Directly Impacted Community Members: Individuals whose lived experiences enrich collective efforts, bringing depth and urgency to the work.
- Survivors of Violence: Those who have experienced violence firsthand and whose voices and insights are essential in crafting real, impactful, and durable solutions.
In this convergence of skills, experiences, and passions, we anticipate the emergence and deepening of innovative, principled, and effective strategies to address serious violence that are transformative, equitable, and humane.
core objectives
- Capacity and Relationship Building: You will develop the capacity to effectively lead diversion programs for serious violence in adult court, bolstered by a network of peers and mentors. Our training emphasizes the importance of collaboration and mutual understanding, equipping you with the skills to enhance your community initiatives while respecting ongoing efforts toward alternatives to incarceration.
- Survivor Centered Solutions: This objective focuses on supporting you to center the needs and voices of survivors in your work. You will develop and deepen practices related to engaging survivors, supporting marginalized survivors of violence towards healing, navigating survivors’ material and emotional needs, and accompanying survivors through restorative justice processes.
- Positioning Interventions for Success: We prepare you to apply violence intervention principles that meet high standards of care and effectiveness. You will gain insights into the core elements of Common Justice’s model and acquire practical strategies to enhance community safety, ensuring your interventions in serious violence are both impactful and sustainable.
- Strategic Legal and Political System Navigation: Enhance your ability to navigate and influence legal and political systems in support of restorative justice. Our focus is on enabling you to drive systemic change, fostering environments where restorative justice is not just an option, but a preferred and effective approach to addressing serious violence.
- Building Survivor Centered Narratives: Learn to craft compelling narratives that resonate with and center those most affected by violence. These collaborative lab sessions will guide you in creating and sharing stories that underscore the principles of survivor-centeredness, accountability, safety, and racial equity, enhancing your impact as a practitioner in the field.
practitioners network
The Common Justice Practitioners Network brings together alumni of the Practitioners Lab who are actively advancing solutions to violence in their communities. Members of the Network are at various stages of developing and implementing programs that divert cases of serious violence in adult court away from incarceration and toward survivor-centered solutions that foster accountability, healing, and safety.
The Network offers ongoing connection, shared learning, and mutual support among practitioners committed to building alternatives to incarceration. Through quarterly gatherings, peer learning exchanges, and tailored technical assistance, Common Justice continues to support members as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of building and sustaining diversion programs for serious violence.
Together, Network members are deepening practice, strengthening relationships across jurisdictions, and shaping a growing national field dedicated to transforming responses to violence.
what we offer
- Quarterly Gatherings: Virtual convenings that bring together practitioners from across the country to share lessons, workshop challenges, and celebrate progress.
- Peer Learning Exchanges: Opportunities for members to share tools, frameworks, and emerging strategies; learn from one another’s experiences; and adapt promising practices across jurisdictions.
- Technical Assistance: Ongoing one-on-one and group support from Common Justice staff to strengthen program design, survivor engagement, and system navigation.
- Resource Sharing: Access to templates, curricula, and frameworks developed through the Lab and Network to support local adaptation and implementation.
why it matters
Diverting serious violence from prison is courageous, complex work that depends on collaboration, reflection, and sustained learning. The Practitioners Network ensures that no one doing this work has to do it alone. It’s a space to exchange ideas, build relationships, and strengthen a collective movement for safety, accountability, and healing without incarceration.
who’s in the network
The Network includes Practitioners Lab alumni from across the country—restorative justice practitioners, community organizers, violence interrupters, survivor advocates, and organizational leaders—all united by a shared commitment to advancing survivor-centered solutions to violence.
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Community Workshops
Join our virtual series where we will gather with our broader community, explore the core principles that guide our work, and learn alongside each other as we navigate this moment in our shared history.
Learn moreNYC Collaborative to Transform Violence
Our Collaborative aims to bring together people in CVI work in New York City (including neighborhood- and hospital-based violence interrupter programs and more) to integrate an understanding and practice of restorative justice into their work.
Learn more