The Detroit Justice Center (DJC) is a non-profit law firm and advocacy organization working to create just cities where every life is valued and supported with dignity and care. We are a national organization rooted in Detroit—a city emblematic of both the harms of racial capitalism and the resilience of community-led solutions. We engage in legal, policy, and narrative work to inspire the work of building just cities across the nation.
Our Just Cities National Platform connects the on-the-ground innovation we support in Detroit with growing national efforts to rethink the criminal legal system, safety, land use, and public infrastructure. DJC supports movements and institutions working to end mass incarceration, build equitable economies, and empower communities that have experienced disinvestment.
• Access to opportunity (including Ban the Box ordinances)
• An end to conviction-related bans on public assistance (in many states, people with drug convictions are either fully or partially banned from getting welfare benefits)
• Restorative justice infrastructure
• High-quality, holistic defense and robust publicly-funded legal service infrastructure
• Alternative municipal and county revenue streams that reduce reliance on court fines and fees
• A prison-to-higher-education pipeline
• Transitional and affordable permanent housing
• Access to affordable health care including robust mental health and substance use services.
CLA Curriculum: DJC provides strategic consulting to peer organizations seeking to democratize access to the law and train Community Legal Advocates.
Model Policy: We draft and share replicable policy solutions on public safety, affordable housing, traffic enforcement & restorative justice.
Decarceral Budgeting: DJC collaborates nationally on ending municipal reliance on fines, fees, and carceral bonds.
Storytelling for Abolition: Through our artist residency and communications, DJC amplifies stories of community safety, racial and economic equity, and mutual aid.
Public Education: DJC curates toolkits, reports, and webinars used in dozens of cities to support public dialogue about safety and justice.
Restorative Justice Center Survey: Our Metro Detroit Restorative Justice Network has conducted an extensive survey of restorative justice centers across the country to get a sense of the national landscape and better understand the potential for non-carceral responses to harm.
Pre-Approved Housing Survey: DJC’s Economic Equity Practice conducted a national survey on pre-approved housing plans (standardized architectural designs vetted in advance for compliance with zoning and building codes). These plans offer a powerful tool to accelerate construction, reduce costs, and support equitable redevelopment. The survey was distributed to municipal planning departments, regional housing organizations, and professional associations in July 2025. We then compiled our findings into this whitepaper, which also analyzes the unique context of Detroit’s housing ecosystem.