Our objectives
The Criminal Justice Hub exists to support individuals who are directly affected by the criminal justice system - particularly those from marginalised or disadvantaged backgrounds who face significant barriers to justice. Our core beneficiaries include people navigating the system without legal representation, as well as communities disproportionately impacted by systemic failings and inequalities in policing, sentencing, and detention.
We help our beneficiaries by providing clear, accessible, and evidence-based legal information through our free online platform. Our resources are designed to demystify legal processes, promote rights awareness, and empower individuals to advocate for themselves or others. In addition to our digital services, we produce research, reports, and policy briefings that contribute to public understanding and justice reform.
Our impact is measurable in terms of access and awareness: by improving legal literacy, we help people make informed decisions about their rights and options, often at critical moments in their lives. Our work also supports wider systemic change by amplifying the voices of those most affected and contributing to evidence-led advocacy efforts. In doing so, we aim to reduce inequality, increase accountability, and promote a more just and humane criminal justice system.
Our activities
To meet our objectives, the Criminal Justice Hub engages in a range of activities designed to increase access to justice, empower individuals, and support systemic reform.
- Accessible Legal Information: We develop and maintain a free online platform that provides plain-language, evidence-based information on key areas of criminal law and justice. This includes guides on stop and search, police powers, arrest rights, sentencing, and prison conditions - ensuring people understand their rights and options at every stage of the process.
- Research and Policy Engagement: We produce independent research and analysis to highlight systemic issues within the criminal justice system, such as racial disparities, over-policing, and barriers to legal representation. Our work informs policymakers, practitioners, and the public, contributing to campaigns and reform efforts grounded in real-world evidence.
- Community Engagement and Collaboration: We collaborate with grassroots organisations, academics, legal professionals, and people with lived experience to ensure our work is inclusive, credible, and responsive to the needs of those it aims to serve. We actively seek feedback and co-create resources with communities most affected by injustice.
- Volunteer Involvement: Volunteers are central to our work. We engage skilled professionals - especially in law, tech, design, and communications - to contribute to projects, develop tools, and extend the reach and impact of our initiatives.
Through these activities, we strive to make the justice system more transparent, equitable, and accountable - one that better serves all communities.
