But for over 10 years, at Lawndale Christian Legal Center, we’ve been proving that restorative justice is a better way. And it makes a difference.
Our restorative justice program, supported by holistic social and legal services, walks young people – some arrested when they were only 10 years old – through, and away from, the court system for good. Through our work, we’ve been helping transform young lives tangled in a deeply flawed system, and inspiring hope in places where hope has been hard to come by.
If you believe incarceration isn’t the answer, if you’re convinced restorative justice can help fix what’s broken in Chicago’s criminal justice system, join with us. Become a part of a growing and passionate community who believe in this work and want to be a part of a real change in this country.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there. A lot of opinions being shared about what’s going on with criminal justice in this country, without accurate information to back things up. We’ve made this free downloadable cheat sheet to help you whenever you find yourself discussing this with friends and family.
Join our email community today. When you sign up for our email community you can stay informed, get inspired and find out how you can be involved in working for a better, more just Chicago.
Right now, we don’t have enough resources to serve everyone who walks through our door. Your donation will help young people grow into the kind of citizens they were meant to be, make the community safer, and allow us to continue to work for real justice for all.
We work with young people under 25, those most affected by neighborhood violence and aggressive policing, with an emphasis on keeping them out of prison, keeping them from getting rearrested and repairing harm.
Our holistic approach goes beyond just seeking better outcomes in court, to actually securing better outcomes in life, helping our clients deal with the root causes of the issues they face, many stemming from systemic racial and economic injustice.
Restoring the community begins with being a part of it. A majority of our staff lives here in North Lawndale and many grew up here. The people who come through our doors are more than clients, they’re our neighbors. We see their strengths, hopes, and challenges every day.
