This article is part of Shared Justice’s Opportunity for Transformation series running throughout June. The series will explore one of the most urgent areas for reform within the juvenile justice system: juvenile probation. It will introduce readers to juvenile probation, its flaws, and the opportunities for government and civil society to create a juvenile justice system that is more equitable, effective, and restorative. Every year, hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers are arrested in the United States. In 2019, a young person was arrested every 45 seconds, bringing them into contact with a system that is plagued by racial inequality […]

Editor’s Note: this article originally appeared on Religion Unplugged and has been republished with permission. BY CHELSEA LANGSTON BOMBINO On Thursday, June 17, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States, in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, unanimously upheld the religious freedom of foster parents Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch, advancing their ability to continue partnering with Catholic Social Services (CSS) to provide loving homes and families for vulnerable children. “My faith is what drives me to care for foster children here in Philadelphia and I thank God the Supreme Court believes that’s a good thing, worthy of protection, stated named […]

Seth Billingsley graduated in May of 2021 with Bachelor’s of Business Administration in international business and a Bachelor’s of Arts in political science from John Brown University. Seth’s research focuses on COVID-19’s impact on food insecurity in Northwest Arkansas and explores how faith communities, government, and other civil society institutions responded to meet the unprecedented need. Listen as Seth shares about his research and what he has learned through the research process.  Seth is advised by John Brown University associate professor of political science Daniel Bennett, Ph. D. Dr. Bennett values CPJ’s hands-on engagement that has helped turn the Hatfield Prize […]

The Build Back Better Act (BBBA—H.R. 5376) proposes greatly increased federal subsidies for child care and a new, free, universal pre-kindergarten program. These programs are intended to attract faith-based providers, along with other public and private organizations, but the language in the House-passed BBBA includes many elements that would make it impossible for many faith-based providers to participate. Two major recent developments have occurred. On December 11, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee released revised language, which eliminates some of the problems by removing the proposed nondiscrimination requirements that would have banned religious hiring and religiously selective admissions in […]

BY JUSTIN GIBONEY AND KATIE THOMPSON KT: What is the Prayer and Action Justice Initiative, and what was the catalyst for its formation? Justin Giboney, co-founder and president of the AND Campaign JG: It stems in one part out of the “dispute” between whether Christians should pray or act. We’re making the statement that we should do both. Prayer is very important because we’re dealing with things that our actions can’t take care of themselves, but also that action is important, and God has placed certain things in our sphere of influence that he wants us to heal and change. So […]