THE PJI APPROACH

The Promise of Justice Initiative is governed by a deep belief in the power of people and that people of color and those who are marginalized have a right to freedom, dignity, autonomy, and justice.

PJI is a different kind of civil rights organization; we don’t follow any national agenda or framework. We confront issues and take on cases that, very often, no other organization will venture to challenge. Our work requires deep investments of time, energy, creativity, and collaboration with partner organizations, legal and community stakeholders, and those most directly impacted by the criminal legal system. Our work blurs the traditional lines of litigation and advocacy as we develop and execute novel legal and engagement strategies to attack seemingly intractable problems.

Our methodology is client-centered and community-partnered. We use power building, narrative construction, and storytelling as core vehicles. Our proximity to impacted people, their partnership with us, and our systems-level work inform our strategy. PJI doesn’t guess at problems; we learn about them first-hand from incarcerated people, victims, survivors, and impacted family and community members. 

The Promise of Justice Initiative is the most comprehensive statewide organization committed to people living in prison in Louisiana. PJI successfully leverages differentiated tools to challenge problematic and unconstitutional aspects of Louisiana’s legal and incarceration systems using innovative multipronged strategies.