CORE Justice Network
The County Officials advancing Racial Equity (CORE) Justice Network was a group of county officials working to drive change in the criminal legal system. The cohort focused on innovative, county-led approaches to equity, exploring policies, practices and programs with measurable impact on justice-involved populations. This network ended in Spring 2025.
This work was funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
About the Network
Together CORE Network members learned about policies, practices and programs that can be used to identify and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal legal system. Throughout the initiative, CORE members received regular updates on related research and county-led programs, took part in quarterly calls that included facilitated discussions and guest speakers and participated in four in-person peer exchanges.
Peer Learning
The CORE Justice Network held four in-person peer exchanges, each hosted within a county that was involved in the Safety and Justice Challenge and had take innovative steps toward reducing jail populations and advancing equity in their local justice system.
In May 2023, the NACo hosted a peer exchange in St. Louis County, Mo., for the CORE Justice Network in conjunction with the Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC) Annual Meeting. The program focused on the following learning themes:
- Reducing system involvement through community-based legal access points,
- Strengthening cross-sector collaboration and community partnerships and
- Advancing equity through data-informed strategies.
Participants visited the Tap In Center (NACo Achievement Award Best In Category Winner 2023) , a collaborative initiative housed in the St. Louis County Library, where individuals can resolve outstanding warrants and access legal and social services in a welcoming environment. The peer exchange also included facilitated discussions and peer learning activities that helped participants reflect on how similar models could be adapted in their own jurisdictions.
As a result of this peer exchange, two CORE Justice Network Members, Multnomah County, Ore. and Franklin County, Ohio launched their own versions of The Tap In Center.
In November 2023, NACo hosted the third CORE Justice Network peer exchange in Mecklenburg County, N.C. The program focused on the following learning themes:
- Engaging impacted communities through authentic listening and shared leadership,
- Aligning county budgets with racial equity goals and
- Sustaining momentum through cross-sector collaboration.
Participants heard from members of Mecklenburg’s Criminal Justice Community Engagement Task Group, who shared strategies for integrating directly impacted voices into justice reform efforts. The agenda also featured a session with the Chairman of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners and the County’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, highlighting how the county has allocated over $14.9 million since 2020 to support equity initiatives.
As a result of this peer exchange, several participants expressed interest in replicating Mecklenburg’s approach to validating pretrial risk assessments and incorporating community members into their justice system planning.
In May 2024, NACo hosted the third peer exchange in Harris County, Texas for the CORE Justice Network The program focused on the following learning themes:
- Centering lived experience in justice system reform,
- Advancing equity through gender-responsive and trauma-informed practices and
- Building sustainable infrastructure for community-based solutions.
Participants visited the Women’s Empowerment Center, a gender-responsive facility operated by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that provides reentry support and wraparound services to women in custody. Participants heard directly from women at the center and learned how Harris County’s collaborative approach, including organizing an annual racial equity conference, conducting jail disparities studies and implementing diversion initiatives, is reshaping justice system responses.
The peer exchange concluded with a facilitated discussion where participants shared challenges and brainstormed strategies to apply lessons learned in their own counties. The event served as a pre-convening to the Safety and Justice Challenge Annual Meeting and helped set the tone for deeper conversations on equity and innovation throughout the week.
As a result of this peer exchange, several counties expressed interest in replicating Harris County’s approach to gender-responsive programming.
In April 2025, NACo hosted the final CORE Justice Network Peer Exchange. Taking place in Cook County, Ill. the program focused on the following themes:
- Reducing pretrial incarceration through equitable bail reform,
- Expanding access to community-based restorative justice and
- Transforming youth supervision through trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate practices.
Participants heard from Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans on Cook County’s approach to eliminating cash bail and the judicial efforts that preceded statewide reform. They also learned about the county’s nationally recognized Restorative Justice Community Courts, which use peace circles and community engagement to resolve non-violent cases and support young adults in avoiding incarceration and criminal records. The agenda included a tour of the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center and sessions on gender-responsive mental health courts, youth redeploy initiatives, and the county’s continuum of care model.
The peer exchange concluded with a series of reflective and forward-looking sessions designed to help participants synthesize what they had learned and identify actionable next steps for their home counties. Each county identified at least one concrete action step to take home. These included exploring the feasibility of launching a restorative justice court, convening a stakeholder group to assess pretrial practices, and initiating conversations with community partners about co-creating youth diversion programs
This peer exchange served as a pre-conference event, setting the stage for the final annual meeting of the Safety and Justice Challenge.
Related Justice Resources
Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils (CJCC) Resource Hub
Counties advancing criminal justice often rely on a formalized body, like a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), to guide decision-making. NACo's CJCC Resource Hub offers valuable information for counties looking to establish or strengthen their CJCCs.
Safety and Justice Challenge
The Safety and Justice Challenge is providing support to local leaders from across the country who are working to safely reduce overincarceration in jails, more effectively use taxpayer resources and protect public safety.
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