About

Georgetown’s Prisons and Justice Initiative works in prisons, in communities and on campus to address the crisis of mass incarceration while recognizing the humanity in everyone.

PJI’s programs offer transformative education and training to open doors for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in the Washington, D.C. area. We empower those whose potential has been stymied by lack of opportunity and constrained by incarceration to become leaders in their communities. We equip talented individuals with knowledge, skills, experiences, and academic achievement to help them overcome the stigma of incarceration. 

Learn more about our programs here.

At the academic and policy levels, PJI hosts interdisciplinary dialogues and events that examine the issues around mass incarceration from multiple perspectives and offer bipartisan solutions for change.

Georgetown is ideally situated to address one of the most crucial moral and political issues of our time. We have an extensive and distinguished faculty working on related topics, committed students who are eager to contribute time and energy, a 30-year history of prison education programs in nearby facilities, a prime location in close proximity to Washington policymakers, a reputation as a nonpartisan institution open to diverse voices and opinions, and a guiding Jesuit mission of intellectual inquiry and service of others.

As the country continues to grapple with longstanding questions around policing, prisons, criminal justice, and racial justice, PJI aims to understand the causes and consequences of mass incarceration and help chart a path forward.

Next: Meet our Leadership Team