News / The Fair and Just Journal

December 10, 2025

From TV to Reality: Reform Prosecution in Action

When I decided to go to law school, I knew I wanted to be a prosecutor, with the intention of working for an office dedicated to creating a truly fair and just criminal justice system. During my 1L year when the time came to begin searching for summer opportunities, I sought an office that was working to make the criminal justice system that I imagined a reality. Then I came across Fair and Just Prosecution (“FJP”) – FJP is dedicated to assisting prosecutors across the United States actively working to reform our criminal justice system and pushing back against the “lock them all up” rhetoric. From the moment I came across FJP, I knew I wanted to get involved.

I had the privilege of being selected to serve in the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (“DC OAG”) under Attorney General Brian Schwalb. AG Schwalb is only the second elected Attorney General in the District, which meant I got to witness a newer system.

Over the summer, I served with the Public Safety Division, Juvenile Section. This meant I assisted with a wide variety of cases, from Simple Assault to Murder committed by children aged 17 and younger. The office did an incredible job showing me how to prepare for trial, craft plea deals, and serve the needs of the community by acknowledging that the juvenile was also a member of the community. Every attorney took the time to show me the ropes, took me along to witness every stage of a case, and included me as a part of the team. This summer solidified my desire to do this work, to advocate, and seek fair justice.  

November 18, 2025

Visualizing Justice: My Full-Circle Moment as an FJP Summer Fellow in Arlington County

This summer, I had the privilege of serving as a Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) Summer Fellow and Third-Year Practice intern with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, where I worked at the intersection of prosecution, policy, and community engagement. This unparalleled opportunity allowed me to get hands-on courtroom experience while also promoting the progressive prosecution mission that brought me to law school in the first place.

My time in Arlington reinforced my belief that prosecution can be a tool for justice, not just punishment. From arguing bonds in court to evaluating diversion program success, this experience showed me how local prosecutors’ offices can lead systemic change through creativity, transparency, and collaboration.

April 15, 2025

It’s Time to End the Practice of Life Without Parole Sentences for Emerging Adults

Across the United States, the use of life without parole (LWOP) sentences for emerging adults persists, despite mounting evidence of its ineffectiveness and cruelty. It is far past time to reevaluate these sentences if we are seeking a criminal legal system that is rooted in fairness, rehabilitation, and the recognition that all young people are more than their worst mistake.

March 31, 2025

It’s Time to Decriminalize the World’s Oldest Profession

Sex work, one of the world’s oldest professions, has been criminalized for decades, pushing those involved into the shadows and exposing them to significant risks. Despite being illegal, over the past 25 years the U.S. has seen a surge in the commercial sex industry, driven by technology that allows for more private transactions.

As society evolves in its understanding of human rights, justice, and public health, the argument for decriminalizing consensual sex work becomes increasingly compelling. Criminalization has failed to reduce the prevalence of sex work or protect those engaged in it. Instead, it has exacerbated their vulnerabilities, perpetuated stigma, and hindered access to essential services. 

Decriminalization, by contrast, offers a framework for improving the lives of consenting sex workers while enhancing public safety and public health.

March 5, 2025

Shifting the Narrative: How Research Challenges Assumptions About Failure To Appear in Court, and the Need for More Data

The framing of failure to appear (FTA) in court often centers on criminal defendants as the problem. In the U.S., many people are detained pre-trial – i.e., before a determination of guilt – because they are unable to pay monetary bail that may be instituted because “defendants pose a substantial risk of flight.” However, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia, ten years of data from Philadelphia paint a more complex picture: it is not defendants who most frequently fail to appear in court, but other key players—police officers, civilian witnesses, victims, and even lawyers. While the broader FTA problem is likely well known to anyone who regularly appears in court, this was the first research to quantify it, helping corroborate the experiences of criminal legal practitioners.