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Washington State Justice Institute

Center for Children and Youth Justice, WA State Courts

Across Washington—and throughout the country—justice systems continue to grapple with persistent racial inequities, inefficiencies, limited access to clear legal information, and fragmented services. Leaders in Washington’s justice community have noted that the field lacks strong structures to bring together impacted communities, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to co-create and rigorously evaluate solutions that are both strategic and sustainable. Many jurisdictions want to reduce harm, enhance public safety, and strengthen trust, but they often lack the infrastructure to test new ideas, collect meaningful evidence, and assess what truly works.

To help meet this need, the Evans Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) is partnering with partnering with justice system leaders at the Center for Children and Youth Justice (CCYJ) and Washington State Courts to launch the Washington State Justice Institute (WSJI).

WSJI will bring together diverse justice leaders from across the state to coordinate innovation efforts, bridge research and practice, apply human-centered design, deepen community engagement, and support collaboration across sectors. Our goal is to build a shared, sustainable foundation for improving Washington’s justice system—one that is grounded in evidence, shaped by community voice, and focused on real-world impact.

Project Overview

How We Create Change

Real, lasting justice reform starts with the people who know the system best. When we meaningfully involve diverse stakeholders—especially those most affected—we gain insight no dataset or outside expert can offer. Human‑centered design helps us turn these insights into action by listening deeply, understanding real needs, and co‑creating ideas with community members.

Collaboration drives every stage of our work. When communities, researchers, and system leaders sit at the same table, we can align goals, test ideas quickly, and make improvements based on honest feedback. This breaks down silos and leads to solutions that are more equitable, effective, and built to last.

Our Five‑Year Path

WSJI is taking a phased approach to building a statewide home for justice innovation. Over the next five years, we will:

  • Lay a strong foundation by listening to communities, building partnerships, and identifying shared priorities.
  • Launch and learn by piloting research and design projects with directly impacted people and justice partners.
  • Build and scale what works through pilot programs, training opportunities, and a statewide network of justice leaders.
  • Translate insights into policy that can improve outcomes across Washington and inform national conversations.

It’s a plan rooted in partnership, learning, and shared leadership—all aimed at creating a more fair, effective, and community‑centered justice system.

What We’re Working on Right Now

We’re in our foundational phase, focusing on the listening and learning needed to shape a strong, community‑rooted institute. Our current work includes:

Statewide Situational Analysis

We’re conducting interviews and research across Washington to map key players, challenges, opportunities, and shared goals. This helps us see the full landscape and identify where WSJI can have the greatest impact.

Convening Leaders and Communities

We’re bringing together community members, practitioners, and system leaders to build relationships, surface priorities, and co‑design the institute’s focus areas and advisory structures.

Shaping the Institute

Using what we’re learning, we’re defining early research themes, building governance and data‑ethics frameworks, and developing the first version of WSJI’s strategic plan. This foundational work ensures the Institute grows in alignment with community needs and statewide priorities.

Project Team

  • Karin Martin
  • Amanda Bankston
  • Julia Karon
  • Cali Jahn
  • Heather Stringfellow

Contact

General inquiries about the project may be addressed to: evansepic@uw.edu.