PJLC Completes CalVIP Pilot Program as Final Evaluation Begins

The Peace and Justice Law Center (PJLC) has completed its CalVIP-funded pilot program providing direct legal services designed to reduce violence by helping people leave gangs and overcome legal barriers that can pull them back into instability. PJLC is now beginning an independent evaluation—conducted with the University of San Diego’s Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice—to assess what worked, what was most effective, and what it would take to scale this model responsibly.

Over the life of the grant, PJLC assisted 47 clients, each with 1 to 5 separate legal matters. Most cases involved “record cleaning,” especially expungements, as well as requests to remove people from gang databases. These issues may sound technical, but they often determine whether someone can get a job, keep stable housing, or avoid being repeatedly targeted based on outdated or incorrect law enforcement information.

Some of the most impactful work, however, involved family law—including juvenile dependency—and immigration. Family law matters can be especially consequential for violence prevention because successful parenting is one of the strongest reasons people step away from gangs, crime, and violence. When a parent is able to regain stability, resolve a court case, and show up consistently for their children, it can change someone’s trajectory in a way that no short-term intervention can.

This pilot was funded through the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) program administered by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). The program tested a core idea: legal advocacy can function as violence intervention when it removes barriers that keep people trapped in crisis and instability.

PJLC has applied for a new CalVIP grant. If funded, PJLC plans to hire two full-time lawyers and expand this work for three additional years. If the grant is not awarded, PJLC will fundraise to launch a smaller version of the program after the evaluation is complete—so the next phase is guided by evidence about what’s most effective.