Lehigh Valley Justice Institute

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Lehigh Valley Justice Institute

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Lehigh Valley Justice Institute, Nonprofit Organization, 511 E. 3rd Street, Bethlehem, PA.
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We are an independent nonpartisan research, policy, and advocacy organization working to develop and promote a reimagined criminal justice system that is equitable and fair for all. The Institute employs a three-step approach to study and reform:

Research - Utilizing the abundant academic resources of the Lehigh Valley, the Institute provides a solid empirical, data driven approach to assessing t

he current deficiencies and inequities inherent in local criminal justice processes;

Policy Development - Building upon solid data analysis and modeling, research of innovative and best practices nationwide, the Institute develops policy and procedural recommendations for the management of the local governmental systems; and

Advocacy - The Institute promotes the adoption of its recommended policies and procedures though interaction with stakeholders, public education and engagement, the news media, and, where necessary, advocating through public education for legislation at the state level, as well as partnering in targeted litigation.

05/30/2025

Fighter's Heaven, a boxing camp that trained the legendary champion boxer Muhammad Ali, will host "A Tribute to Philly Boxing," on Saturday, June 28th, featuring presentation and discussions with a Who's Who of Philadelphia boxing legends. Fighter's Heaven has been designated as a Pennsylvania and national historic landmark, and looks to carry out the mission of Muhammad Ali, who was fond of saying that he wanted to use his fame and notoriety to help those less fortunate and to make the world a better place.

All proceeds from this event will go to benefit the Joe Hand Boxing Gym and Philly Boxing History, Inc., two organizations that benefit those at risk, youth and communities with other needs.
For more information and to register, visit: www.fightersheaven.com or email Ken Safarowic at [email protected], or 267-718-8025.

05/29/2025

Easton Councilmember Frank Pintabone has reintroduced a bill to decriminalize Ma*****na. Easton would join Allentown and Bethlehem in attempting to ameliorate the devastating effects of the failed and discredited so-called "War on Drugs." Read the full article below and view the discussion at last night's council meeting. The discussion of the ordinance begins at 46:00 in the video.

Watch the Video Here:

https://boxcast.tv/view/city-council-5282025-pgvzdgi2z8oslwnjjdqu

Read the Article Here: https://www.lehighvalleynews.com/easton/its-time-to-evolve-marijuana-decriminalization-bill-back-before-easton-city-council

04/21/2025

The passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, or "Day of the Angel" in the Catholic tradition, calls us to rededicate ourselves to justice and humanity for all. The Holy Father is pictured last summer with Imam Beytullah Colak of the Lehigh Valley's Respect Graduate School. The two met in their native Argentina where they both served their respective faiths while remaining friends though Francis' papacy. Pope Francis was a tireless promoter of interfaith dialogue and understanding. Those who would seek to exploit the memory of Pope Francis for their own political agendas would do well to remember that the Pontiff's final words in this life sought respect for migrant populations.

04/16/2025

Staff of LVJI were honored to meet and speak with Dr. Yusef Salaam, one of the Central Park 5, now known as the Exonerated 5.
Dr. Salaam spoke eloquently and poignantly about his 7 years of incarceration for a crime he did not commit, the unwavering support of his mother and early years, having Donald Trump baselessly call for his ex*****on, and his long journey detailed in his book, "Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice." Dr. Salaam, a New York City Council member, was particularly interested in LVJI's Injustice Map and referenced it in his comments at the VIP reception.

04/14/2025

URGENT: Mark your Calendars TOMORROW to defend the integrity of our Nationwide and the rule of .

This VIRTUAL EVENT features US District Court Judge Esther Salas, who became a Nationwide voice for Judicial security and reform in the tragic killing of her son in a targeted attack.

WHEN: TUESDAY, APRIL 15 2025 12:00 P.M. EST, 9:00 A.M. PST

Our courts are the backbone of our Nation, and protecting them is critical for the integrity of law.
REGISTER HERE: https://kbla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_70nAEa2jRMmQjjMIqNNCUw #/registration

READ HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/speak-up-for-justice-event-seeks-a-million-courageous-voices-to-defend-courts-302424847.html

04/11/2025

Thank you to all who attended the Fair Future Act luncheon on Wednesday at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, PA. This luncheon included a meeting between state legislators, advocates and community members, discussing the "Fair Future Act." Pictured from left to right: LVJI's Director of Operations, Victoria Wrigley; Middle: Lehigh Valley Community leader and CEO of Century Promise, Yusuf Dahl, who championed the bill, and LVJI Data Scientist Eli Laurin. The Lehigh Valley Justice Institute was honored to sponsor this important event.

04/10/2025

The Pennsylvania ReEntry Council will be holding a public health forum about trauma, resilience, and reentry, an event open to all members of the community! This forum is a series: please scan the QR code for further information, dates and locations. Staff from the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute will be attending this inaugural event at Northampton Community College. These forums emphasize collaboration and community healing, so mark your calendars for Thursday, April 17th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!

04/04/2025

Yesterday, LVJI Executive Director Joe Welsh delivered a motivational lecture to students at Mukachevo State University, Ukraine. He is pictured with Dr. Nataliia Hertsovska, Dean of Faculty. Dr. Hertsovska serves on LVJI’s Institutional Review Board. Welsh’s speech was simultaneously translated by English language students at MSU. The students were very interested in LVJI’s work, even as fights an existential battle for freedom and democracy on behalf of us all.

04/02/2025

Join Us: Legislative Luncheon on the Fair Future Act
📅 Wednesday, April 9th | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex, 501 N. 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120

You're invited to a special legislative luncheon at the Pennsylvania State Capitol focused on the Fair Future Act—a groundbreaking piece of state legislation championed by Lehigh Valley community leader Yusuf Dahl and sponsored by Representative Josh Siegel.

The PA Fair Future Act seeks to repeal the Thurmond Amendment, a federal provision that removes fair housing protections for life as a collateral consequence of a drug distribution conviction.

Introduced in 1988 by segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond, this policy continues to deny second chances and housing stability to more than 80,000 Pennsylvanians.

This event will bring together state legislators, advocates, and community members to discuss the urgent need to restore fair housing protections and end this discriminatory policy.

🔗 Register or learn more: https://www.mobilize.us/dream/event/749131/

Sponsored by: Dream.org and the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute

We hope you’ll join us for this important conversation and call to action.

03/31/2025

On Friday, March 21, 2025, LVJI debuted its Injustice Map as part of Northampton Community College's Peace & Justice Conference. The Injustice Map is an interactive experience that contains a collection of publicly available data sources specifically focused on the Lehigh Valley. It allows users to view economic, educational, healthcare, environmental, and criminal justice related data in the context of demographic and administrative boundaries.

During Friday's presentation, LVJI Data Scientist Eli Laurin and intern Kaleb Missmer explored several associations that the Map exposes. These included the association between high school diploma attainment and economic factors, such as poverty and unemployment, and the hazards related to toxic releases from pollution-emitting factories in certain areas.

The Injustice Map acts as a "hub" for making comparisons between interconnected topics to not only spark interest in social justice issues, but also to inspire future research! Visit our website to view the interactive map, or click the links below!

https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3753ce4da77e4a3297c44eb7a0f45908

www.lvji.org

03/26/2025

Visit our YouTube page to watch our recent collaborative event, "LVJI Symposium 2025: The Intersection of Mental Health and Criminal Justice." Hosted at Northampton Community College's annual Peace and Justice Conference, LVJI hosted multiple panels with subject matter experts regarding the multi-faceted ways in which Mental Health and the Criminal Justice system Intersect. Click on the Link below to view the Symposium panels, and Like and Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with local criminal and social justice issues!

WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVlvqzMm6dFlCL3EFKZKDzu0OjDcpqcDp

Address

511 E. 3rd Street
Bethlehem, PA
18015

Website

http://www.lvji.org/

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