Center for Advocacy and Social Justice
The Center supports the League’s mission to help secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights. The Center is aligned with the League’s organizational vision to be a leading advocate for promoting access to quality education, economic opportunity, community engagement, health and wellness. The Center simultaneously promotes the development of good citizens and the proper and equal treatment of all north Florida residents regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, economic status or sexual orientation.
In partnership with other social justice allies, religious institutions and individuals the Center advocates regular and open communication between citizens and government, legislation promoting human potential over incarceration and a consistently just application of the law. The Center also provides places where individuals gain access to knowledge, training, education initiatives and entertainment that facilitate healthy life outcomes.
Contact Mr. Dennis Stone for more information: dstone@jaxul.org | 904-723-4008
The Jacksonville Urban League (JUL) continuously seeks key partners and stakeholders as participants in its Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) who will work with government agencies and organizations that have a strong interest in engaging all residents, particularly people of color and youth to solve public problems.
Community Crime Prevention and Intervention Services
Strengthening. Empowering. Engaging the community to keep safe.
The Jacksonville Urban League is committed to reducing crimes in Jacksonville focusing on Prevention as a long-term strategy.
- Prevention – reducing factors associated with at-risk behaviors and strengthening protective factors.
- Intervention – focus on individuals already engaged in at-risk behaviors.
In response to continued and growing evidence of inequitable treatment of minorities, particularly disadvantaged individuals, by law enforcement, prosecutors and judges, seeks to engage the Jacksonville community and subject matter experts in exploring the following topics:
- Restorative justice measures
- Legislative sentencing reform
- Judicial and prosecutorial norms, the scope and impact of overcriminalization
- Alternative procedures - civil citations, alternative courts and/or sentencing for youth and adults.
- Structural changes in law enforcement,
- The over-militarization of police
- Employment inequity
- Other local jurisdictions that have succesfully built safer, more efficient, and more just criminal justice systems
- Assemble experts in civic engagement to gather Jacksonville community views
As the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us, minority populations have had unequal access to employment, education and health care. “Racism affects every aspect of American life – none more so than our medical system. Numerous studies over the years have laid bare the gap in health outcomes between minority groups and white Americans.”(Southern Poverty Law Center Webpage: Racism-killing-Black-Americans.
The Center for Advocacy and Social Justice seeks to change the status quo by engaging the community and experts in research projects, town halls and partnerships.
The Center for Advocacy and Social Justice (CASJ) Internship Program operates year-round and is generally organized by semesters. Students are given the opportunity to gain valuable experience in fields focused on developing and implementing social justice public policy. Interns are assigned to CASJ lawyers to gain hands-on experience while improving their organizing, research, analytical, and writing skills.
JUL internships are currently paid and unpaid.
