Council for Court Excellence

Workforce barriers continue long after incarceration. In fact, there are more than 40,000 collateral consequences tied to a criminal record in the U.S., many of which directly impact access to employment.

SCHA's report explores how D.C. can strengthen second chance hiring, support justice-impacted individuals, and address ongoing workforce shortages through smarter reentry workforce innovation.

From policy recommendations to lessons learned from other jurisdictions, this report offers an important roadmap for building a stronger and more inclusive workforce ecosystem in D.C.

Read the full report here: https://scha-dc.org/reentryworkforceinnovation/

Graphic: See here
Caption: As we wrap up Mental Health Month, we're thinking about the young people in D.C.'s juvenile justice system who deserve healing, not just supervision.

A 2025 oversight report found that youth at New Beginnings aren't getting the behavioral health care they need. The facility was designed to rehabilitate, but it isn't doing that.

Independent oversight exists to hold systems accountable when they fall short. That's why we're calling for it to be restored.

Read the full report:https://oijjfo.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/oijjfo/publication/attachments/Behavioral%20Health%20Services%20at%20New%20Beginnings%20Final%20Report%20October%2027%2C%202025.pdf

The Second Chance Hiring Alliance’s convening event “From Workforce Training to Employment: Improving Pathways for Reentry” was a resounding success!

On May 12th, we brought together people-- representing businesses, workforce development programs, government, and justice-impacted folks-- for focused conversations around workforce reentry.

Headlined by MORCA Director Talib Shakir and Brandi Petway, HR Facility Lead at Giant Food, the convening included small and large group discussions on the alignment between employer expectations, labor market demands, and workforce development program trainings and resources.

95% of participants reported finding the convening useful AND stated a desire to attend future convenings to continue the conversations. 👏 Thank you to all who attended!

In a recent WAMU article on D.C.’s mayoral race and the public safety debate, CCE Executive Director Misty Thomas emphasized the need to ask bigger, more practical questions about the role of law enforcement in our city.

Rather than focusing only on police staffing, Misty pointed to a companion question: how can D.C. shrink the workload and expectations placed on police by shifting certain responsibilities to other support services and agencies?

She also raised concern that political back-and-forth can obscure urgent issues across the broader criminal justice system, including the conditions facing both children and adults in D.C.’s jails and youth facilities.

At CCE, we believe public safety conversations must be grounded in evidence, accountability, and a full understanding of how the justice system impacts people across the District.

Read the full article from WAMU: https://wamu.org/story/26/05/19/dc-mayor-candidates-share-positions-on-criminal-justice/

A man died at the D.C. Jail on May 8. The jail is dangerously overcrowded — 2,207 people are in custody, 15% more than a year ago.

And the facility is critically short-staffed: only 713 of the 1,082 officers needed to safely operate are currently filled. If the population continues to grow, the District will need to spend millions more just to meet basic constitutional requirements for food and healthcare — leaving fewer resources for the programs that actually help people and communities thrive.

Check out new full fact sheet at https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/659c0df344c9c8325dd821ca/6a0b5a2370efd0ba770288b6_Jail%20Population%20May%202026%20Fact%20Sheet%20(2).pdf.

About 44% of people in U.S. jails have a history of mental health problems, and their rate of serious psychological distress is FIVE TIMES that of the general public (https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/imhprpji1112.pdf).

At the D.C. jail, the share of the population with a mental health problem is 70%, making it one of the largest providers of behavioral healthcare in the District.

Community-based mental healthcare and supportive services can keep people from landing in - or going back to - the D.C. jail. Adequately funding these in the D.C. budget is good for District residents and for public safety.

We’re grateful to our incredible sponsors for making the 2026 Justice Potter Stewart Awards Dinner possible. Your support helps advance meaningful improvements across D.C.’s courts and legal system.

Join us on May 21 for an inspiring evening as we come together to celebrate leaders driving impact in our community.

Tickets are still available. Secure your spot and view the full list of sponsors: https://www.courtexcellence.org/2026-jps-awards

Last week, we were proud to partner with the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice for an impactful conversation at Deloitte in Arlington.

“Building a D.C. Labor Force that Works” brought together business leaders and community partners to explore how second chance hiring can help address workforce challenges while expanding opportunity across the District.

From real-world employer insights to practical strategies, the discussion reinforced a clear message: unlocking overlooked talent is not just the right thing to do, it’s a smart workforce solution.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a thoughtful and forward-looking conversation!

Tickets are now available for the 2026 Justice Potter Stewart Awards Dinner. Join the Council for Court Excellence on May 21, 2026, for an evening celebrating leaders and organizations making a meaningful impact on the law, courts, and justice in Washington, D.C.

This year’s event will be held at the Organization of American States, bringing together members of the legal community, public servants, and supporters committed to strengthening justice in the District. Our honorees are the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and Sandra Jackson, President & CEO, House of Ruth

Reserve your seat today and join us in honoring this year’s outstanding award recipients: https://www.courtexcellence.org/2026-jps-awards

Last week’s Candidate Forums brought thoughtful, solutions-focused conversations on the future of public safety and justice in the District.

Missed it or want to revisit the discussion? Recordings are now live on YouTube. Hear directly from the candidates about their plans and priorities for D.C.’s legal system and communities.

🎥 Congressional Delegate Forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S7usRUgOoQ
🎥 Mayoral Candidate Forum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14953-UhgJg