Fair and Just Prosecution

“When young people cause harm, we need to hold them accountable. But when we are responsive to what it is that is causing those behaviors, we can see those kids heal – and we can keep them out of the criminal justice system.” – Douglas County, GA District Attorney Dalia Racine The U.S. criminal legal system has failed effectively to address the unique challenges faced by children and teenagers for decades, devastating countless lives in the process. In the second video of our #ReformMakesUsSafer series, elected prosecutors and youth justice experts explain why we must treat kids as kids and invest in their success – not their punishment – to achieve healthier and safer communities. (Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, Delia Garza, Abd’Allah Lateef, Leesa Manion, King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Douglas County District Attorney's Office, Mark A. Dupree, Sr., Pima County Attorney's Office, John Choi)

Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP), alongside the Prosecutors Alliance of California and a coalition of former California prosecutors, submitted an amicus letter urging the California Court of Appeal to dismiss the unfounded case against Diana Teran. Prosecutors are constitutionally obligated under Brady to disclose favorable evidence to the defense, including evidence undermining the credibility of a prosecution witness. Ms. Teran was hired by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office to oversee law enforcement accountability work, including the office’s Brady database to track law enforcement misconduct. She is now accused of accessing “confidential information” regarding individual sheriff deputies’ past misconduct for sharing documents with another prosecutor in the office, even though the prosecution has acknowledged that the documents were all available to the public as court records. In the amicus brief, the signatories argue that the case brought by the California Attorney General is “astonishingly weak” and that Ms. Teran was simply fulfilling her legal obligations as a prosecutor. This case goes beyond Ms. Teran—it challenges every prosecutor’s duty to abide by constitutional, statutory, and ethical obligations and uphold transparency and accountability. If allowed to proceed, it could cast a chilling effect on efforts to track law enforcement misconduct. As Amy Fettig, FJP’s acting Co-Executive Director, asserts, “Prosecutors must be empowered to perform their duties without fear of prosecution for simply doing their jobs.” Read the amicus letter here: https://bit.ly/3Aigj6E

New Report: Big Oil, Fossil Fuel CEOs Could Face Prosecution for Reckless Endangerment We are excited to share a groundbreaking new report from Public Citizen and Fair and Just Prosecution that could shift the conversation on corporate accountability for climate change. Titled "Big Oil, Fossil Fuel CEOs, Could Face Prosecution for Reckless Endangerment," the memo explores the legal pathways through which major fossil fuel companies and their top executives could be prosecuted under New York State’s reckless endangerment law. For decades, fossil fuel corporations have knowingly accelerated climate change, contributing to deadly weather events such as hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves that disproportionately harm communities across New York and beyond. The report lays out a detailed case for how these companies and their leaders have violated New York law by putting lives at risk—knowingly and willfully—by continuing to sell and promote fossil fuel products even after their own internal reports warned of catastrophic climate consequences. Why is this important? This isn’t just another policy debate. It’s about criminal accountability. The evidence outlined in this report suggests that the reckless actions of these corporations could meet the legal threshold for criminal prosecution in New York. For those working in legal reform, corporate governance, or environmental advocacy, this is a pivotal moment to examine how we hold corporations accountable for the large-scale damage they cause to our environment and public safety. The Urgency of Corporate Accountability With New York facing an increasing number of climate-related disasters, including Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Ida, this report calls for an urgent reevaluation of how we define and prosecute corporate crimes. The toll of these events—lost lives, damaged homes, and displaced communities—is immeasurable. Yet, fossil fuel companies continue to operate without facing the same legal scrutiny as other entities that endanger public safety. What’s Next? At Fair and Just Prosecution, we believe that this report is an essential resource for policymakers, legal professionals, and advocates working to address the climate crisis and demand corporate accountability. As climate-related risks escalate, the legal system must evolve to address the unique harms caused by corporate entities that put profit above people. We encourage professionals in the fields of environmental law, public safety, and corporate governance to review this report and consider its implications for future legal action. The fight for climate justice is a fight for public safety and human rights. Read the full report here:

Today, 41 current and former criminal justice leaders, including elected prosecutors, state attorneys general, and former U.S. attorneys, have filed an amicus brief urging the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to protect prosecutors' authority to correct past errors. This brief, filed in Commonwealth v. Lavar Brown, highlights the importance of allowing prosecutors to acknowledge mistakes and work towards justice. In this case, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office conceded that Mr. Brown's conviction was marred by a significant constitutional error. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is now considering how courts should handle such concessions of error. This issue is crucial for maintaining the integrity of our justice system. The brief emphasizes that prosecutors have a duty not only to secure convictions but to ensure justice is upheld. Limiting their ability to correct past errors erodes public trust, undermines democracy, and ultimately threatens public safety. “Prosecutors have a duty not only to secure convictions but to ensure that justice is done,” said Fair and Just Prosecution Acting Co-Executive Director Amy Fettig. “When mistakes that undermine the integrity of a conviction are discovered, it is not just within the prosecutor’s discretion to concede error—it is their obligation to act." The signatories warn that restricting prosecutors' discretion could have broader implications, including limiting the will of voters who elected these officials to act in the interest of justice. Public trust in the legal system hinges on allowing prosecutors to correct past wrongs and ensure fairness. Prosecutors and justice leaders are calling on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to reject efforts to limit this critical authority. To learn more, read the full brief here: https://bit.ly/3NjpXJ3 

So grateful for Color Of Change and the amazing prosecutor accountability community for creating the incredible Winning Justice event last week!! Learned so much from this community and was able to speak on some of my favorite topics - like Prosecutorial Reform in Hostile Political Environments and the Anti-Democratic Undercurrents in Attacks on Reform Prosecutors! Onwards!!

We are excited to announce our first leadership transition since FJP's founding eight years ago. As Founder and Former Executive Director Miriam Krinsky steps away to spend more time with her family, we reflect on the legacy she leaves behind. Under her visionary leadership, FJP has grown from a small coalition of 14 elected prosecutors in 2017 to a network of over 60 reform-minded prosecutors across the U.S., driving impactful criminal justice reform. Miriam’s successors, Acting Co-Executive Directors Amy Fettig and Robin Olsen, are seasoned leaders in criminal justice reform with decades of combined experience. They will lead FJP into its next chapter, continuing to push for equitable, evidence-based approaches to public safety. “Under Miriam’s leadership, our network has grown to include over 60 elected prosecutors around the nation, representing nearly 20 percent of the nation’s population. FJP has also supported prosecutors as they pushed for a more equitable, evidence-based approach to incarceration that prioritizes both public safety and equality. The two can and must exist hand-in-hand.” – Amy Fettig, Acting Co-Executive Director. “There is still so much work to do, and FJP will not pause in our work. As we move into this next phase, we will remain unrelenting in our commitment to and partnership with prosecutors implementing smart, research-based, and just solutions to public safety.” – Robin Olsen, Acting Co-Executive Director We thank Miriam for her unwavering commitment to justice and look forward to Amy and Robin’s leadership in advancing FJP’s critical work. Stay tuned for updates as they roll out new initiatives focused on prosecutorial discretion, sex work decriminalization, and bail reform.

We recently hosted an inspiring gathering of #21stCenturyProsecutors, researchers, and community advocates to explore how data innovations can transform the criminal legal system. In today’s rapidly evolving criminal justice landscape, data plays a pivotal role in building trust, transparency, and accountability. It provides reform-minded prosecutors with the evidence they need to craft policies that are more equitable, reduce racial disparities, and ultimately promote true public safety. By making traditionally hidden processes more visible, data allows communities to see the direct impact of these reforms and fosters a deeper connection between prosecutors’ offices and the people they serve. A few key highlights:  Ramsey County (MN) Attorney John Choi and Assistant County Attorney Mark Haase discussed their office’s success in reducing racial disparities through data-driven decisions, such as ending low-level equipment traffic stops that disproportionately affected communities of color. These bold actions are helping build community trust and reduce unnecessary prosecutions. We also heard from Hennepin County (MN) Attorney Mary Moriarty, whose Youth Auto Theft Diversion Program has shown promising results in reducing youth crime. By creating early intervention pathways, the data has shown a measurable drop in auto theft cases, offering a powerful model for reform. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and Transparency Analytics Lab Director Oren Gur shared insights from their decade-long research, which flips the script on failures to appear (FTA) in court. Contrary to assumptions, their data revealed that it’s often witnesses, lawyers, and police—not defendants—who fail to appear, significantly affecting case outcomes. As we move forward, the role of data in criminal justice reform will only continue to grow. Prosecutors committed to fairness and accountability are leading the charge in using data to drive meaningful policy changes. These discussions and innovations are paving the way for a more transparent, equitable, and effective criminal legal system—one that prioritizes public safety while fostering trust and fairness in the communities it serves.

Data Drives Change: A Reflection on FJP’s Fall Data Convening Last week, we wrapped up our Fall Data Convening in Washington, D.C., and I am more inspired than ever by the power of data to reshape the future of justice. At Fair and Just Prosecution, we believe that numbers can tell powerful stories—but it’s how we use them that matters most. As leaders in this space, we must take the risk of transparency, thoughtfully expand the definition of public safety, and ensure that our policies reflect truth and equity. From insightful discussions on racial disparities to internal management transformations, we saw how data can be used not just to diagnose problems, but to drive solutions and build community trust. Whether it's addressing racial imbalances in prosecution or leveraging data to manage case backlogs, we are committed to embracing facts, challenging long-standing systems, and ensuring that the lived experiences of those impacted by our decisions are at the forefront of everything we do. Special thanks to our speakers and panelists. And a heartfelt thank you to our community partners, whose voices and experiences continue to shape our work. Change is possible, but it requires bold action, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

Join FJP Deputy Director Amy Fettig, Environmental Activist Bill McKibben, Public Citizen Senior Climate Policy Counsel Aaron Regunberg, Union of Concerned Scientists, and other leading experts next week on Tuesday, June 4 at 3 p.m. ET for a virtual panel discussion exploring whether Big Oil companies should be criminally prosecuted for climate-related injuries and deaths. Register here: https://lnkd.in/er3rEG9n