Brian Edsall

What were the top issues facing the criminal justice field in 2025 and what might we expect in 2026?

🗓️Join us 12/9 at 12pm ET for a CCJ Centering Justice webinar featuring Douglas Berman (@sentencinglaw.bsky.social), Shaila Dewan, and Dave Sunday: events.zoom.us/e/view/w1jBI...

"Law enforcement leaders, faith-based organizations, advocates, and others across the nation and across the political aisle can find common ground in pursuing solutions that hold people accountable for crimes they commit while addressing the factors that drive their behavior. This isn’t just about compassion. It’s about breaking generational cycles of crime and punishment, restoring families, and building safer, healthier communities." Sarah Stitt, Senior Adviser, Women's Justice Commission; First Lady, Oklahoma

CCJ Women’s Justice Commission Senior Adviser and First Lady of Oklahoma Sarah Stitt reminds us that advancing public safety requires both accountability and an understanding of the factors that influence behavior.

"The kind of old school thinking is that it's only police that can keep communities safe. And what we're seeing out in the field more and more is that community-based organizations work as a complement to law enforcement."

This spring, DOJ canceled public safety grants initially valued at more than $800m, many to local nonprofits. CCJ Senior Fellow Amy Solomon, who previously oversaw DOJ grantmaking, spoke to @npr.org about the critical role these orgs play in community safety: www.npr.org/2025/11/10/n...

We thank veterans for their service. Why don’t we support them when they stumble? We’ve seen encouraging signs our government is prioritizing veterans who stumble, but more is needed, says David MacEwen, a retired brigadier general.

We honor veterans’ service, but too often overlook them when their invisible wounds lead to the justice system. In @starsandstripes.bsky.social, CCJ Veterans Justice Commission Director David “Mac” MacEwen shares how government can better support them: www.stripes.com/opinion/2025...

Clemency Shouldn’t Depend on Who You Know, but it Should Be Used More Often | Opinion Clemency should not be about fame, politics and special relationships. It should be about redemption, restoration and public safety.

Has clemency become more about politics than justice?

CCJ's Khalil Cumberbatch and @marclevin.bsky.social write in @newsweek.com that the power of clemency, when used often, fairly and transparently, is an essential tool for a more balanced justice system: www.newsweek.com/clemency-sho...

The Council on Criminal Justice (@counciloncj.org) is now on Bluesky!

Ralph - Central Park, New York On the stories we find when we choose to stop and listen.

"The marks on his instrument resembled those of the aged park bench he sat upon, each scratch and scuff like a single word in a lifetime of stories."

📝 My latest Substack piece from my Stories from Strangers series: Ralph - Central Park, New York. Read 📖 or listen 🎧 here:

📝 My latest Substack piece from my Stories from Strangers series: Milan - NYC Pride, 2025. Read 📖 or listen 🎧 here: open.substack.com/pub/aspectso...

Jabari - Brooklyn, New York "We naturally make assumptions as people and oftentimes we get surprised. Everybody got a whole world and story that they got going on."

“We naturally make assumptions as people and oftentimes we get surprised … so [photography] just taught me about being more open-minded, being patient and paying attention to life.” Read 📖 or listen to 🎧 my latest Substack piece: open.substack.com/pub/aspectso...

“Memories often bring solace in prison, so capturing them in photos brings a layer of permanence. Remembering cherished moments is the best I can do to shield myself from how swiftly time passes on the outside.”

Vital City | How Zohran Mamdani Could Succeed as Mayor The best-case scenario for the Democratic nominee

Bradley Tusk and Jamie Rubin declare themselves "more optimistic about a potential Zohran Mamdani mayoralty than many of our peers," and offer some ideas about how he can succeed.
www.vitalcitynyc.org/articles/how...

I was given a “I’m a Future Voter” sticker this morning, which, technically isn’t wrong…

Anyway…GET OUT AND VOTE!

Today is the NYC primary, with polls open until 9:00 p.m.

Make sure to research the full list of positions and candidates, and find your pollsite: www.nycvotes.org

Collected Moments #2 - If At First You Don't Succeed... How a father, his son, and their skateboards offered a lesson on persistence and the mistakes we must make in pursuit of our goals.

“The path forward is rarely clear. You may not see the cracks until you hit them, and you may fall more times than you can count. But balance isn’t found by standing still. It’s found in motion and by enduring the scrapes and bruises.” Read my latest 📝 open.substack.com/pub/aspectso...

Isaiah & Ramzy "When I was going through some rough patches throughout the last year, Ramzy had always been somebody that I can rely on, so I am forever grateful to him for that."

📝 My latest Substack piece - Isaiah & Ramzy

Isaiah told me that Ramzy was giving him an ASL lesson when I photographed them, something he's been trying to learn so that he and Ramzy can communicate better. Ramzy shared that, to Isaiah's credit, he's picking up sign language quickly.

Read more:

Frank A day trip to Peekskill, New York led to an unexpected connection formed by a shared love for photography and a journey into the Hudson Valley's deep history.

My latest Substack 📝

I crossed paths with Frank during a day trip to Peekskill, NY in late March. A light appeared to shine in his eyes when he saw the camera around my neck. A shared love for photography led to an unexpected journey into the history of Peekskill and the surrounding Hudson Valley.

Sunset in Fort Greene, Brooklyn 🌇

Holliday—With Two Ls! I spotted a tall, well-dressed man walking towards me on a Sunday afternoon in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Our interaction was brief, but it showed me the affirming power of photography.

My latest Substack piece is live 📝 I crossed paths with Holliday while walking around Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn on a Sunday afternoon in March. Our interaction was brief, but it reaffirmed something I deeply believe: serendipitous connections—however fleeting—can leave a lasting impression.

Collected Moments #1 Moments from a stroll through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York. Shot on a Nikon F5 using Ilford HP5 Plus 400 film.

In the first of my Collected Moments series, I share some photos I captured while strolling through Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. Time has an interesting effect on how we perceive our work. I'm learning to appreciate these moments, no matter how small. open.substack.com/pub/aspectso...

I donated to the @bklynlibrary.bsky.social because libraries are the cornerstones of our communities. Make sure to support your local library for #LibraryGivingDay!

thinking of one of abraham lincoln's great quotes this morning:

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy."

Some afternoon thoughts -

Marlon Peterson’s Next Chapter: Fatherhood “Maybe you needed me to know that I was perfect in your eyes, and not the man who inconspicuously struggles with brokenness.”

Some exciting news...I will now be including voiceovers with my pieces! If you have 13 spare minutes, please give my voiceover a listen from my latest piece - Marlon Peterson’s Next Chapter: Fatherhood

Man held on Rikers for 19 months becomes first to die in jails in 2025 — Queens Daily Eagle A 38-year-old man died on Rikers Island on Wednesday morning.

And finally, I would be remiss not to mention that yesterday, 38-year-old Ramel Powell, who was being held in jail for nearly two years as he awaited trial, was found dead yesterday at Rikers, the first recorded death of 2025. queenseagle.com/all/2025/2/2...

Rikers Public Memory Project - A Community Truth and Healing Process OUR MISSION The Rikers Public Memory Project collects and makes visible the stories of people most impacted by Rikers Island, to mobilize action toward repairing its generational harms and interrupti...

The Rikers Public Memory Project collects and makes visible the stories of people most impacted by Rikers Island, to mobilize action toward repairing its generational harms and interrupting the dehumanizing narratives about people harmed by Rikers. rikersmemoryproject.org

Last night, I had the privilege of attending a panel from the Rikers Public Memory Project hosted by the Weeksville Heritage Center. The multi-generational panel shared their perspectives as people who experienced Rikers and the legal system firsthand as adolescents and young adults.

Recent science (STEM & social) brought forth the understanding of responding to pandemics, climate change, gun violence, and impacts of systemic racism and gender discrimination. By gutting research support and the highly educated federal workforce, this is nothing less than an assault on knowledge.

Marlon Peterson’s Next Chapter: Fatherhood “Maybe you needed me to know that I was perfect in your eyes, and not the man who inconspicuously struggles with brokenness.”

In 2023, I had the pleasure of connecting with author Marlon Peterson and his daughter, Maya. In this piece, I centered on the vulnerable letter he writes her in the Epilogue of his book, his personal journey, and his journey into fatherhood. This piece can now be found on my Substack.