What is the Justice Fellowship?
The Justice Fellowship is a four-month cohort program centered on civic engagement and leadership development for people directly impacted by the criminal legal system. It provides a space for community members, professionals, advocates, and emerging leaders to learn from one another, expand their networks, and drive systemic change.
Fellows meet directly with legal system elected leaders and decision-makers to gain an insider’s view of how the system operates. Rather than starting from scratch, participants bring deep professional skills, academic training, and lived expertise to the table—sharpening existing strengths, building new competencies, and collaborating across sectors.
Fellows offer a vital quality check on how legal system policies work in practice—helping local leadership refine existing services and build more effective solutions. Through hands-on participation, cohort members prepare to serve on decision-making boards, partner on public safety initiatives, engage public officials, and offer testimony. By pairing lived experience with strategic policy insight, fellows directly shape a fairer, more accountable system.
Our Goals
- Build Future Leaders: Open avenues for impacted community members engage with county leadership, participate in advisory boards, and participate at policy-making tables.
- Dismantle Stigma: Shift public perception around past convictions and clear away systemic barriers to full community integration.
- Drive Lasting Change: Ground public safety and justice reforms in real-world expertise to build a restorative model other communities can follow.
This project is generously supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and County General Fund.
Fellow Projects & Community Impact
Justice Fellows actively lend their expertise to local government, inform public safety strategies, and advise community partners. Read more for examples of past work, illustrating the level of leadership and strategic engagement prospective fellows can expect.
Apply Now
Read for details and application.
Check the calendar to make sure you can attend each session.
Questions?
Please contact: Enrique Rivera enriquer@multco.us.