Echoing the United States Pledge of Allegiance, And Justice For All’s name symbolizes our conviction that equal justice under the law is a fundamental American principle. The ideas we champion are not new; they are enshrined in our country’s founding documents – including the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights – precisely because they are central to a functioning democracy. That’s why we believe in leveling the playing field to ensure that our criminal justice system operates fairly and accurately, especially for our most vulnerable citizens. We believe in increasing opportunities for people’s cases to be seen, heard, and meaningfully reviewed. We believe in listening to people impacted by the criminal justice system, learning from mistakes, and aiming higher for the future.

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AJFA brings strategic thinking to help decisionmakers – from jurists to lawmakers – reach the right results in cases and around issues that cry out for relief. We fight for principles we believe in – like reducing America’s incarceration rates, checking abuses of power, and preventing wrongful convictions – but we also regularly work together with allies that some might consider unexpected. Most of our clients are people convicted of serious crimes, but we have also represented crime victims’ families and law enforcement organizations. Our leadership is renowned for championing criminal justice reform and the rights of criminal defendants, but it also includes individuals whose families have experienced what it’s like to be victims of serious crimes. We work not just with leading defender organizations, but we also collaborate with open-minded prosecutors around the country and organizations like the International Association of Chiefs of Police.  We are able to forge these alliances because at the end of the day, our positions reflect shared principles – and common sense. Policing should rely on modern-day best practices, not decades-old myths. Children are more vulnerable than adults. Innocent people should not be in prison.  

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AJFA’s big-tent model engages new voices and solutions into the discussion to achieve reform. As the first criminal justice organization with senior leadership from all three systems that impact reform – law, media, and policy – we deploy strategic insights to work closely with state and national elected officials from both sides of the aisle, law enforcement leaders, community organizations and nonprofits, and Fortune 500 businesses and other private sector groups committed to the public interest. When we represent individuals who have experienced injustice, we elevate their stories into clarion calls for reform through public engagement and education – calls that are all the more effective when they resonate across sectors and beyond dividing lines. That’s why we link lawyering so closely with public engagement and policy education work; each part of this work represents a key component on the continuum of effective advocacy. Engaging each system is necessary to make reform a reality.

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At the end of the day, our philosophy is simple. We’ve all taken the same Pledge.  Let’s work together to deliver its promise….And Justice For All.