Are You a Justice Defender?

Our values are rooted in our Christian beliefs. We find a mandate for our work in the Bible: Paul was a murderer, Rahab was a prostitute, and Jesus was given the death penalty. And he told us that whatever we do for prisoners, we do for him. We take heart from the fact that the Scriptures are brimful of hustlers, murderers, cowards, adulterers, and mercenaries. We know God can use us all. Following Jesus’ teaching, we believe all people have inherent dignity and each person’s life is fundamentally valuable. The Gospel takes away our right to discriminate between the deserving and the undeserving poor. Our past need not define our future. So we are committed to working with all individuals regardless of their religion, background, prison sentence, offence, race, or gender. We work within vulnerable and defenceless communities, alongside those who may be seen as their adversaries, to bridge the justice gap.

Our work rests on three pillars:

The gospel story provides the foundation for Justice Defenders. Jesus’ example of loving and welcoming all, especially the rejected, outcast, and condemned, inspires us. His subversive and countercultural message about where value lies and the ways that he responded to people who were accused, convicted and condemned,  informs our approach.

We stand on the shoulders of the giants who resisted legally mandated oppression, punishment and violence, through non violent means. We are inspired by the love, grace and perseverance of the Black and Brown people of America and South Africa who responded to persecution at the hands of the justice system with bravery and tenacity.

We choose a preferential option for women and children in prison. We choose to invest in them deeply, even though proportionally they only make up a very small fraction of the prison populations we serve The overwhelming majority of Justice Defenders lawyers, paralegals and clients, are Black men. We believe that Black men are a force for good, for development and for justice in their families, communities and globally. We celebrate Black academic and legal excellence and Black leadership.

‍

Our Founding Principles

1. Our wealth does not prove our innocence

Look in our prisons and you would think that it is illegal to be poor. Regardless of who you are, where you've been, what you've done or what's been done to you, we will welcome you and we will defend you. We believe that everyone has the right to tell their side of the story before being convicted of a crime or punished.

2. Each of us should be protected by the law as well as answerable to it

A disproportionate number of us who come into conflict with the law do so on account of being poor. People may be unable to pay their rent and find themselves facing eviction, unable to defend themselves in court. They may find themselves falsely accused of a crime because they were unable to pay a bribe or protection money. Or they face criminal behaviour charges on account of an addiction or mental health issue which they have been unable to resolve. Once in the system, they lack the financial resources necessary for obtaining proper legal representation or bail. As a result, they are more likely to get prison sentences than non-custodial options. They simply cannot afford to obtain a qualified person to legally defend them. Regardless of our status, each of us should be protected by the law as well as answerable to it.

3. We believe in the universal value of life and the sacredness of each person

We want to see people going from the margins of society to the centre. Those who need justice most are least likely to gain access to it. And those who have the most to contribute to the justice system, those who have experienced it for themselves, are least likely to be heard. International development is not just something that needs to be done by mostly white people to mostly poor Black people. There are bright poor Black people who have much to teach us. We are proud to showcase the radical aspiration and Black excellence.

4. We are working towards a posture of all-embracing inclusion

We work to ensure that the defenceless become the defenders. So our work intentionally includes those who would consider themselves, or might be considered by others, to be outsiders, marginalised, or in conflict with the law. Some defenders were previously attackers.

5. Justice Defenders focus solely on the criminal justice system

In this way we gain expertise and depth that other organisations can’t provide. We are not acting as judges. Rather, we are supporting the judiciary to follow due process by ensuring that each defendant can effectively engage with their hearing. This helps to ensure that only those who need to be in prison are put there. We do right by the victims of crime and reduce the number of future victims of crime by helping governments to invest more resources in those who might truly benefit from rehabilitation.

Our Five Values

Bravery: We courageously act for a new and better world. We intentionally reach out from our own frailty to offer a helping hand to those who are suffering.

Humility: We are servants, sinners, and saints. We aspire to be servant lawyers. We recognise that the law can help us gain power, status, and wealth. However, we choose to give away some of these privileges so that we may grow closer to those on the margins of society.

Solidarity: We are building bridges in adversarial justice systems. We are intentionally inclusive, reaching out towards those who are most often silent, excluded, or powerless. We work with those whom others would ignore or avoid.

Excellence: We are committed to quality  and paying attention to the small details in the training we provide and in the legal practice we offer our clients and through public interest litigation.

Integrity: We are accountable stewards of the trust placed in us by our clients and of our resources.

‍

What We Stand For & What We Do

“There are many things that can only be seen through eyes that have cried.” – St Oscar Romero.

“There can be NO JUSTICE without peace, and there can be NO PEACE without justice.” – Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

When you enter prisons, there is often no sparkle in the eyes, rather a dull blankness. It’s as if life leaves prisoners’ bodies before they actually die. This is the effect that the law can have: to drive the lifeblood, the joy, the hope of a future from us, and leave us broken. Improved application of criminal law betters the entire justice system – providing access to vital legal services, protecting rights, and addressing wrongs.

Equipping prisoners to defend themselves is truly transforming prisons, communities, and countries from the inside out. Just societies are made up of communities who can trust their justice system. This means the law is upheld, every person has equal access to a fair hearing, and justice officials can apply the law without fear of reprisal. When the law protects us all equally, justice systems are able to function efficiently and effectively.

Justice Defenders Live in Prisons and in Palaces

We need justice defenders to bridge the justice gap. Someone who can see the defenceless, identify with their conflict, and ensure the equal application of the law. Defenders are people who have been empowered by legal knowledge and training. We are working towards a posture of radical inclusion to ensure that the defenceless become the defenders. So this work intentionally includes those who would consider themselves, or might be considered by others, to be outsiders, marginalised, or in conflict with the law. Some defenders were previously attackers. This means training individuals in unlikely places. Justice defenders live in prisons and palaces; they come from death row and Davos. If these defenders can be unleashed within the justice system, they can serve the community and strengthen the system, ensuring a fair hearing for all.

Justice Defenders Unlock the Talent Behind Bars

We believe in the universal value of life and in the sacredness of each person. We want to see people going from the margins of society to the centre. The law is a tool to serve democracy and the safe functioning of our societies.Those who need justice most are least likely to gain access to it. And those who have the most to contribute to the justice system, who have experienced it for themselves, are least likely to be heard. Too often society expects prisoners, and others who are suffering or in difficult situations, to become inward-looking. We forget that they too have rich gifts, talents, and potential which can benefit the whole community. We want to see justice served; it is vital for all of us. What we don’t want to see is the poor and most vulnerable filling our prisons simply because there was no one to equip them to fight for justice.

Justice Defenders Provide Access to a World-Class Legal Education

The education offered to those in prison should be of a similar standard to that offered to those who make laws and send people to prison. We work with justice defenders from all kinds of background, enabling them to acquire a degree-level education. Our partnership with world-class universities, such as the University of London, enables us to provide a legal education through distance learning. Limited internet access and resources, security restrictions, and even a lack of basic classroom facilities – all pose challenges. Nevertheless, in recent University of London law exams, taken by tens of thousands of students from around the world, our students scored a 100% pass rate. It was our highest ever score and significantly higher than the University’s average. Just think, our best performing law students, many of whom assiduously study by flash light in dark cells, are those who have been sentenced to death. Inherent potential, gifts, and talents were once locked up. Now the chains have been removed.

Justice Defenders Train Paralegals In-House

Prisoners and prison staff are trained to become auxiliary paralegals, advocates, and peer educators. Training paralegals within defenceless and vulnerable communities provides access to legal services at the point of greatest need. Those who have trained with us as paralegals provide critical legal services within their communities such as sharing simple, accessible information about the court process, as well as potentially life-changing legal advice. In 2019 our legal awareness sessions reached more than one hundred thousand people. By equipping justice defenders to facilitate a just legal process, we are the ones ensuring a fair hearing.

A Common Cause

Who would imagine prison officers going to court to advocate for prisoners and win them their freedom? Or members of the public going to prison to access free legal services from prisoners? We delight in finding common cause between unlikely allies. We work hand in hand with the judiciary. We are pleased to invite them to share meals with our paralegals in the prisons where we work so that they can discuss together the challenges facing the community. As we study and practise law together, we hope to grow in love for each other and for those whom we serve.

We create bridges in justice systems. We work for justice for everyone, without breaking fellowship with anyone. Prisoners, ex-prisoners, and prison staff offer unique perspectives on legal systems. Yet their experiences are rarely listened to. Bringing them together with prosecutors, the police, judges, experienced lawyers, and academics creates remarkable possibilities for good. We do this successfully by building a movement of justice defenders - our friends and supporters who share our vision. We work at building a consensus in partnership with governments, NGOs, national prison services, the judiciary, prisoners and prison staff, universities, and the wider legal fraternity. Together we can bridge the justice gap.

As Dr Martin Luther King Jr. reminds us: “True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that a system that produces beggars needs to be repaved. We are called to be the good Samaritan, but after you lift so many people out of the ditch you start to ask, maybe the whole road to Jericho needs to be repaved.”

‍

‍