Polarized politics have led many Pennsylvanians to dark places, but could a common vision of justice for all illuminate the path to unity? A beacon of hope is a new declaration of principles endorsed by many of the nation’s most respected conservative and liberal groups. It encapsulates our shared aspirations for a criminal justice system that lives up to the most cherished values shared by Pennsylvanians and all Americans.
This initiative was a shot in the dark. After all, few people could have predicted that organizations as ideologically divergent as the Conservative Political Action Conference and American Legislative Exchange Council on the right and the American Civil Liberties Union and the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights on the left could agree on more than the time of day.
Yet they did. Though a series of discussions facilitated by the Council on Criminal Justice and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and sponsored by The Just Trust, 14 organizations on the left and right arrived at a consensus on the values that should guide criminal justice policy not only as the legislative session gets underway in Harrisburg but in capitals across the nation and at all levels of government.
So, what tenets did this unlikely consortium of groups unite around and what are the implications? The declaration outlines and defines four core values that Americans of all stripes agree should animate our justice system: safety, fairness, dignity and accountability.
For example, the declaration insists that individuals must be held accountable for their actions, even as it recognizes the role of a person’s family, school and community in influencing their life’s trajectory. Furthermore, the principles maintain that society and our justice system must be held responsible for fostering genuine opportunities for redemption and reintegration.
Likewise, the document acknowledges that fairness involves two elements, one often more associated with the right and the other with the left. On an individual level, it requires ensuring that there is due process and a proportional sanction in each case. On the societal level, it means a system that achieves results that don’t vary based on who someone knows, the color of their skin, their political views or whether they can afford a good lawyer. The imperative to ensure safety and justice for all Americans begins well before a criminal case is filed, requiring us to ensure every community has the law enforcement, educational, and social service resources needed to thrive.
Ultimately, history demonstrates the indispensability of a shared commitment to the values that should guide our justice system. An agreement on these goals and confidence that the system is working toward them on everyone’s behalf is vital to fostering public trust in the system, without which the rule of law cannot function.
Whether on the right or left, we know that either vigilantism or authoritarianism can rise when the rule of law collapses. By adhering to the declaration’s values, the justice system can help us avoid this fate by earning the trust of all Americans. The justice system in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation can accomplish this by better aligning with the declarations’ values of safety, fairness, dignity and accountability.
Marc Levin and Khalil Cumberbatch co-lead the Centering Justice Initiative at the Council on Criminal Justice, where Levin is chief policy counsel and Cumberbatch is director of engagement and partnerships.