PJLC Co-Sponsors Conference on Decriminalizing Neighborhoods

The Peace and Justice Law Center (PJLC) co-sponsored the Decriminalizing Neighborhoods Conference, a three-day national virtual gathering that brought together advocates working to end harmful gang suppression policies and advance community-based approaches to public safety.

More than 200 participants from over 30 organizations and nearly 20 cities attended the conference. The event created a rare national space for organizers, lawyers, researchers, and directly impacted leaders to share strategies, research, and lessons learned from efforts to move away from punitive gang policing.

PJLC partnered with San Diego–based Pillars of the Community to help design the conference program and identify speakers. The agenda focused on alternatives to gang injunctions, the limits of criminalization as a public safety strategy, and policy pathways that reduce harm while supporting community stability.

As part of the conference, PJLC’s Executive Director led a session on model legislation to reform anti-gang laws. Grassroots partners from Orange County, including Chicanxs Unidxs, also presented on their ongoing campaign to end gang injunctions and protect neighborhoods from collective punishment.

The conference reflects PJLC’s broader strategy of combining litigation, policy advocacy, and movement-building. By convening national partners and elevating community expertise, this work helps strengthen a growing movement to replace ineffective and discriminatory enforcement practices with approaches grounded in dignity, evidence, and public safety.

Recordings and additional materials from the conference are available through the Decriminalizing Neighborhoods Network and continue to inform advocacy efforts across the country.