Title: U.S. Justice Fund

Source/Sponsoring Agency: Open Society Institute

URL: http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice

Date Checked: 1/18/2006      Status: Active

Date Annotated: 1/18/2006

Topics: Civil Rights; Criminal Law; Human Rights Law

Other keywords:

Contents: An initiative of the Open Society Institute (OSI), the U.S. Justice Fund seeks to fulfill a commitment to “reducing the excessive reliance on punishment and incarceration in the United States, and to promoting fair and equal treatment in all aspects of the U.S. criminal justice system.” Through grants, education, and advocacy, the Fund pursues two objectives: securing equal justice and ending the over-reliance on incarceration. The website highlights the work of the Fund and provides access to publications and event information. The Fund has several focus areas that are detailed on the site. These include prison expansion and sentencing reform, drug policy reform, and a judicial independence program. The Fund’s announcements and news items are maintained on the site and can be searched by keyword and year. Publications and articles are provided in full-text databases that are also searchable by keyword and year. In addition, the site provides details of relevant OSI events, including audio of proceedings.

Author of Annotation: M. Morrison