Our work
Criminal Justice Reform
Advancing Justice, Rehabilitation, and Second Chances
Image source: Tzedek AssociationCriminal justice reform is the cornerstone of Tzedek Association’s work. For more than a decade, Tzedek has worked across government and party lines to strengthen public safety while promoting rehabilitation, successful reentry, and second chances.
Read the Forbes feature on Tzedek and the First Step ActHelping Shape the First Step Act
Tzedek’s most significant criminal justice accomplishment is its leading role in the development, passage, and implementation of the First Step Act—one of the most consequential federal criminal justice reforms in a generation. The law created earned time credits, expanded education and vocational programming, improved compassionate release, corrected good-conduct time calculations, and strengthened reentry preparation.
Turning Reform Into Reality
Passing historic legislation was only the beginning. Tzedek remains actively engaged with Congress, the White House, the Department of Justice, and the Bureau of Prisons to improve earned-time-credit policies, sentence calculations, prerelease placement, security classification, programming access, and successful reentry.
Expanding Home Confinement and Reentry
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tzedek advanced the responsible use of CARES Act home confinement for medically vulnerable and low-risk individuals. The organization has continued working to protect community placement, halfway-house access, family reunification, and evidence-based reentry policies.
Modernizing the Federal Prison System
Tzedek works with Bureau of Prisons leadership to strengthen rehabilitation, improve institutional operations, expand education, and help incarcerated individuals maintain family connections. Recent work includes supporting the nationwide rollout of secure electronic tablets for education, legal resources, programming, books, and family communication.
Advocating for Individuals and Families
Every year, Tzedek advocates in matters involving time credits, sentence calculations, compassionate release, home confinement, halfway-house placement, transfers, religious accommodations, medical concerns, furloughs, and clemency. National reform begins with individual lives.
Continuing the Work
Tzedek remains committed to a justice system that promotes accountability, strengthens public safety, supports rehabilitation, and gives deserving individuals a meaningful opportunity to rebuild their lives.
People at the heart of the mission
Reform advances when people keep showing up.
Tzedek builds personal relationships across government and communities to turn second chances into practical policy.
Images source: Tzedek Association
“I had exhausted all of my remedies and I reached out to my advocate at the Tzedek Association. They went to work immediately on my situation, and they walked me out the door. They are a light where there’s nothing but darkness. There is absolutely zero doubt in my mind that the Tzedek Association saved my life.”
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Help Tzedek respond quickly, advocate effectively, and keep showing up for people who need a voice.
Data source: Tzedek Association client guidance and official website.