ECOLOGIES
OF JUSTICE
an transdiciplinary network for social-ecological thought and action
Reconnecting people, ecosystems, and communities-- within and beyond prison walls
ECOLOGIES OF JUSTICE is a network that convenes researchers, practitioners, and community leaders who work at the intersection of prison or jail programs, community-based interventions, environmental justice, and ecological sustainability. Join us to learn together and build new collaborations.
Our major projects have involved organizing a series of events and developing ways to share, represent, document, and advance our work. This includes a conference in 2021, conference in 2022, book project, a list of resources, and more. We hope you find the information on this webpage valuable. Contact ecologiesofjustice@gmail.com with any questions or if you would like to be involved in future projects.
STAY UPDATED
NETWORK BACKGROUND
ECOLOGIES OF JUSTICE NETWORK emerged from momentum of the 2021 Conference on Social and Ecological Infrastructure for Recidivism Reduction, which was co-convened by Yale School of the Environment and Boston College. More than 500 people registered from across 41 states in the U.S. for this fully-online conference, with around 50 participating in each session. Presenters were from government, academia, and community-based organizations. Through this first convening, it became clear that although recidivism has historically been used as important measurement of whether or not someone who has previously been incarcerated commits another crime, achieving the goal of preventing crime and advancing public safety also requires renewed attention to understanding and creating new possibilities for community and interconnection. This could be, for instance, connection to new career opportunities, connection to necessary resources, connection to plant ecologies and the land, or connection between people and communities that have been separated.
A group came together after this event to organize a 2022 conference that centered the work of the community-based organizations and leaders who have, for decades, been working -- both in collaboration with correctional agencies and beyond formal institutions -- to create safe, healthy, equitable and sustainable communities. The 2022 Ecologies of Justice Conference highlighted a range of people and organizations who are involved in implementing, researching, or imagining a wide range of green, ecological and environmental initiatives in prisons, jails, and communities impacted by incarceration. It offered an overview of research and practice in this area, and also facilitated new opportunities for community and connection among all participants. It was co-hosted by Boston College, the Sustainability in Prisons Project, and the 2022 conference organizing committee (see below), with financial support from the National Science Foundation.
© 2022 by Ecologies of Justice Conference Organizers