Our Values

TCJE is committed to advancing safe, thriving Texas communities. We believe in collective leadership, and in centering the voices and experiences of system-impacted people in efforts to reimagine justice. We hold ourselves accountable to the communities we serve through our advocacy, and we prioritize members of impacted and marginalized communities in our hiring and on our Board.

The values below lie at the heart of our work. They inform our overarching policy goals and shape our daily interactions with each other and with members of our communities. While each of us are individuals, we are also part of larger, interconnected systems, and it is only through collective empathy that we can achieve genuine safety, healing, justice, and liberation.

DIGNITY & POTENTIAL: We respect and value each person’s inherent worth, abilities, and contributions. Solutions to harm and violence must be rooted in this recognition.

EQUITY & FAIRNESS: We believe that every person deserves the opportunity to thrive. Each Texan should have access to the individualized resources and supports they need to live a safe, healthy life.

ANTI-RACISM: We know that only by acknowledging the racist foundation upon which the criminal punishment system was built – as well as how that racism continues to be perpetuated today – can we meaningfully uproot bias, promote intergenerational wellbeing, transform our communities, and prioritize true public health and safety for all Texans.

INQUIRY & TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE: We value a persistent eagerness to learn, including from each other’s experiences, which will inspire and inform innovative models, strategies, and practices that most authentically address the needs of people and communities long harmed by systems that inflict trauma and pain.