Public Safety & Justice

By Gianmarco Katz & Diana McFarland

What’s the Problem?

Progressive policies on public safety and justice must address systemic inequities, democratize the allocation of resources, integrate evidence-based models into policing and re-entry, and reduce reliance on punitive systems. This policy roadmap prioritizes community driven structural change to proactively support equitable social outcomes. Local elected officials can significantly improve the safety of their community members by aligning their policies with the following strategies. 

What are People Currently Doing?

Community-Oriented Policing

All strategies to improve public safety should be grounded in community-driven work that includes historically marginalized community members. Community-oriented policing fosters collaboration between law enforcement and local communities to build trust, prevent crime, and address public safety concerns through proactive engagement and problem-solving. Madison, WI established a model to establish civilian review boards. Civilian review boards incorporate community feedback into public safety strategy design and decision-making to enhance oversight and trust between law enforcement and communities. Municipalities can also create Offices of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) which operate as hubs for collaboration between community stakeholders, on public safety strategies like mentoring and violence interruption. These associations, as seen in Richmond, VA, New York City, NY and Baltimore, MD, have facilitated transformative mentoring for high-risk individuals. 

Youth Interventions

The school-to-prison pipeline disproportionately pushes marginalized students into contact with the criminal justice system, worsening racial and economic stratification while undermining their education and future opportunities. To disrupt this pipeline, schools may replace school resource officers (SROs) with restorative justice practices that mitigate inequities and ensure schools are spaces of learning, not punishment. The Youth Advocate Program (YAP) is a national nonprofit that proactively targets interventions like education, employment pathways, and mentorship tailored to at-risk youth. Organizations like Project NIA advocate for a reimagined juvenile justice system by offering alternatives to incarceration for youth in conflict with the law. Equitable opportunities like these are essential to break cycles of incarceration and foster long-term community stability. 

Mental Health Services

Mental health outcomes in the US remain concerning, with high prevalence rates of untreated mental illness, particularly among youth and adults in underserved communities. Re-delegating responses to non-violent disturbances to social workers and mental health professionals rather than police can help de-escalate situations and improve public safety. This toolkit outlines the CAHOOTS mobile crisis assistance hotline in Eugene, OR, which has improved the deployment of mental health professionals and social workers. Olympia, WA’s Crisis Response Unit (CRU) and The Memphis Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program leverages specialized training and community partnerships to de-escalate and resolve conflicts and crises. Similar programs have been implemented in Madison, WI and San Francisco, CA due to the resolutions and ordinances passed by their local elected officials. These models reduce police confrontations and free up officers for critical tasks, creating safer and more equitable outcomes.

Decriminalizing Non-Violent Offenses

A multifaceted approach that treats substance abuse as a public health matter is crucial for reducing harm. Oregon’s Measure 110 decriminalizes small amounts of drugs and offers scalable models of treating substance use as a public health issue. Ithaca, NY has adopted a Public Health and Safety Approach to Drugs and Drug Policy, shifting away from criminalizing addiction. Meanwhile, Boston, MA established the “Methadone Mile,” concentrating addiction treatment services in its hardest-hit areas to ensure accessibility. Baltimore, MD is working toward on-demand treatment access for those struggling with addiction by implementing a "blanket prescription" for naloxone and training over 10,000 people in its use to prevent overdoses. Binghamton, NY launched the Intensive Care Navigator Program, supporting individuals leaving addiction centers in securing housing, transportation to medical and counseling appointments, and ensuring placement in long-term care. 

Decriminalizing poverty-related offenses like fare evasion, homelessness, and sex work shifts the focus from punitive measures to addressing systemic inequities and unmet needs. The State of Utah significantly reduced crime and chronic homelessness by allocating funding to provide housing without pre-conditions of sobriety or employment for those who had been homeless for longer than a year. Removing criminal penalties can reduce the cycle of arrests and instead connect individuals to social services. The Vision Zero initiative advocates for systemic changes to road design, promoting alternatives to cars, adding deterrents to unnecessary speed and recklessness, constructing safe routes to school, and implementing other strategies aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities.

Violence Prevention

Preventing violence requires engaging communities directly. The Mayors Innovation Project's (MIP) brief on best practices for Violence Prevention emphasizes the need for centralized violence prevention and trauma-informed approaches focused on deterrence. While comprehensive gun reforms face political barriers, municipalities can focus on bipartisan initiatives. Safe storage laws, red flag laws, setting safety and training standards for gun owners, and creating gun safety education programs. The Speak Up Speak Out Program provides community members with an outlet to report potential threats and offers firearm education, promoting best practices within the community. 

Demilitarizing police departments fosters trust between law enforcement and communities. The ACLU has proposed a sample resolution to prohibit police departments from acquiring surplus military equipment, training, and resources through the Department of Defense's Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO). Berkeley, CA, has taken proactive steps regulating the acquisition, use, and reporting of all militaristic materials. Similarly, Charlottesville, VA banned police from procuring military training, equipment, or resources, reinforcing the city's stated commitment to community-centered public safety.

Accountability & Transparency

In the digital era, collecting and analyzing traffic stop, arrest, and use-of-force data can identify and address racial disparities in public safety. Tools like the Center for Policing Equity's "threshold test" provide innovative approaches to evaluate police behavior along equitable standards. Additionally, cities like Austin, TX and Oakland, CA demonstrate how targeted data collection can inform strategies to reduce disparities. Evidence-driven policing policies and models reduce negative interactions between law enforcement and communities. The SARA model (Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment) is a problem-oriented policing framework that helps police departments identify and address issues in the community, while moving away from ‘reactive’ policing. Campaign Zero’s 8 Can’t Wait Reforms focus on reducing police violence through specific policies to banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants, require de-escalation, and mandating warnings before shooting. Meanwhile, The Police Scorecard evaluates police performance across the US based on state and federal data, highlighting areas for improvement in key categories like transparency, accountability, and use-of-force. Local leaders can also change police union contracts to best align with their values and ensure public accountability and safety.

Taking it to the Next Level

Recidivism and Re-entry

Local governments should do what they can to prepare individuals with the tools, education, and resources needed to rebuild their lives post-incarceration. John Jay College provides resources to help individuals set educational and professional goals. The Council of State Governments offers a re-entry checklist, and the Department of Justice’s Reentry Resource Library guides planning and transition. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) advocates for Medicaid to cover pre-release services, immediate enrollment upon re-entry, and investments in housing and substance use treatment, ensuring continuity of care and support. Reducing recidivism and supporting re-entry is essential for breaking cycles of incarceration and promoting equity.

Equity and Resource Allocation

While each strategy in this roadmap can be implemented in isolation, the most comprehensive solutions will bring communities together to not only reform policing, but also strengthen social safety nets. Equity in public safety begins with acknowledging that disparities exist in services and outcomes. Instead of investing heavily into managing symptoms of social dysfunction, policy makers should invest in upstream solutions to core problems. Empowering communities to decide how funds are allocated ensures that budgets are more closely aligned with community needs. For example, The Participatory Budget Project has successfully supported municipalities, school districts, and organizations in democratizing their budgeting process. Pittsburgh, PA and Austin, TX prioritized social outcomes in budgeting by reallocating funds away from police and towards violence prevention and substance abuse programs. Additionally, localities can apply for grants that invest into proactive public safety such as rehabilitative services, targeted interventions, and public goods like housing and education. See the ProGov21 Public Finance roadmap for more resources on acquiring and equitably allocating funding.

Allies, Advocates, and Advisors

• Vera is a national organization working to end mass incarceration through research and advocacy.

• Project NIA is a Chicago-based community organization engaged in research and programming for alternatives to youth incarceration.

• Vision Zero Network advocates for equitable urban planning to minimize traffic fatalities and ensure safe neighborhoods.

• HARP provides resources and policy solutions to ensure safe and healthy reentry for those previously incarcerated.