A Just GR Powered by the Aspen Institute's Justice and Governance Partnership

Public safety is about more than policing. Safe and thriving communities prevent crime and reduce justice involvement by providing broad access to housing, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. We must look more holistically at what contributes to public safety and quality of life, while also elevating the expertise of residents most impacted by chronic inequity. A Just GR Powered by the Aspen Institute’s Justice and Governance Partnership (AJGR-JGP) provides a space for residents, community organizations, and city leaders to work together to create visions for public safety that are equity-centered and data-driven. AJGR-JGP will also identify how resources and policies can best be coordinated to support healthy and just communities. Grand Rapids is the first of a select group of communities to receive funding to collaborate with Aspen Institute’s Criminal Justice Reform Initiative, which is leading a national effort to promote systemic approaches to public safety and justice in mid-sized and rural communities.

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The goal of AJGR-JGP is to eliminate disparities and achieve equity through data sharing and systems collaboration to secure public safety, health and well-being and belonging in Grand Rapids. The name reflects the organization’s broad focus on creating a more just and inclusive community, emphasizing action, accountability, and systemic change. AJGR-JGP is a community-driven, multi-sector approach to safety and invites collaboration among community-based organizations, government agencies, policymakers, and other multi-sector partners to promote justice and community safety.

Neighborhoods with high crime rates and law enforcement engagement also face persistent insecurity in housing, health, education, transportation, and employment. Many of these neighborhoods also experience a lack of resources and limited investment in these same systems. Data will be organized by neighborhoods to ensure assets and needs are accurately portrayed.

The initiative was formed through a partnership with the Aspen Institute, a global leader in driving change through dialogue, leadership and action. Aspen Institute has provided critical guidance and resources to help A Just GR share its strategy for building a more just community through community development, equity-centered leadership and policy reform. This isn’t a one-time research project to collect new data and make broad recommendations. Instead, it’s an effort to coordinate and consolidate existing data efforts into a shared platform so systems can be analyzed together. AJGR-JGP is not only getting data from a variety of agencies, but we are also listening to people in the community, valuing their expertise, and helping to find reasonable solutions to ongoing challenges.

AJGR-JGP’s intentional focus on neighborhood outcomes will allow us to reach those who need the most resources and to better address community priorities. The shared data and analysis will be used to support collaborative policymaking, partnerships, and resource sharing across law enforcement, government partners, and community members.

AJGR-JPG is a community-driven, multisector approach to safety that comprises of a Justice Collaborative that includes residents, community-based organizations, government agencies, policymakers, and other multi-sector partners to promote justice and community safety.  The Justice Collaborative conducts a justice audit reviewing local data in four categories: crisis management operations, jail resource use and case processing, neighborhood conditions and victimization, and community asset mapping.  The Leadership Council, the governing body of AJGR-JGP, reviews and approves the justice audit findings and develops an action plan based on those data findings with the help of the Justice Collaborative.

Core Components

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Justice Collaborative

Diverse stakeholders are gathered, reflecting interests across the justice ecosystem, including government and community stakeholders.

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Justice Audit

Community-informed audits are conducted annually, mapping data and sharing information from multiple sectors within one platform.

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Justice Action Plans

Collaborative, policy-making
implementation plans are developed and informed by the Justice Audit findings.

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Justice Intermediary

The host organization for  AJGR-JGP that convenes and facilitates AJGR-JGP activities of the Leadership Council, Justice Collaborative, and the Justice Audit.

Current Initiative Participants

Parris McMurray, Chair
Renaissance Church of God in Christ / Grand Rapids Public Schools

Amari Fuller, Vice Chair
Michigan League for Public Policy

61st District Court
ACLU
City of Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Fire Department
Grand Rapids Police Department
Grand Rapids Public Schools
GVSU Bellamy Creek Program
Housing Kent
Kent County Commissioners Office
Kent County Prosecutor’s Office
Kent County Sheriff’s Office
Kent Intermediate School District
Michigan League for Public Policy
Network 180
Realism Is Loyalty
Renaissance Church of God in Christ
Safe Haven Ministries
Steelcase Foundation
Women’s Resource Center

The Aspen Criminal Justice Reform Initiative is funding the engagement of the AJGR-JGP with initial support from The Michigan Justice Fund at The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Bank of America, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Ford Foundation, and KRW Foundation.  Learn more about The Aspen Institute and the Criminal Justice Reform Initiative here.

Initiative Timeline

Summer 2021

Grand Rapids invited to participate

Cross-sector leaders explore the opportunity to participate in the Aspen Institute’s Justice and Governance Partnership program.

Fall 2021

Host organization selected

Public Agency at WMCAT is selected to be the host organization; submits planning grant application on behalf of the initial Planning Workgroup.

Jan - Feb 2022

Planning grant awarded

Public Agency meets with the Planning Workgroup and Aspen technical assistance partners to prepare for grant activities and identify additional representation.

Mar - May 2022

Convene workgroups

Planning Workgroup builds shared understanding of the GR-JGP approach and drafts local initiative goals.

Jun - Aug 2022

Convene workgroups

Engage additional stakeholder groups to define initial Justice Audit elements.

Sep 2022 - Feb 2023​

Review & Refine​

Workgroups refine an overall theory of change, initial governance structures, data needs, and the role of the Local Justice Intermediary.

Mar - Jun 2023

Identify Local Justice Intermediary

Expand stakeholder outreach and select a Local Justice Intermediary to lead future AJGR-JGP activities with the Local Justice Collaborative.

Jul - Aug 2023

Submit Implementation Grant

Corewell Health is selected as the Local Justice Intermediary and transitions to host organization submitting a proposal to Aspen CJRI for implementation funding.

Sep - Dec 2023​

Governance structure adopted

Adopt governance model and increase Leadership Council membership.

Jan – July 2024

Project Principles & Local Learnings

Approve project guiding principles, evaluate local learnings and LJI hires additional project staff.

Aug – Sept 2024

Council Elections & Mission/Vision Approval

Approve project’s theory of change, mission & vision and elect leadership council Chair/Vice Chair.

Nov 2024– Feb 2025

Engagement Plan & deliverables

Develop community engagement plan and refine timeline for justice audit deliverables.

Initiative Updates

A Just GR Press Release

A strategic partnership launches with the task of transforming community safety and creating a more just Grand Rapids

Theory of Change

A Just GR's theory of change, a roadmap that outlines project activities and projected short, medium and long term initiative outcomes. 

Project Guiding Principles

AJGR-JGP guiding principles are approved by leadership council.

Landscape Scan

A review of public safety initiatives in Grand Rapids that have occurred in recent history.