For more than four decades, CEPP’s work has been based on a steady commitment to fairness, dignity, and community well‑being. In 2025, that commitment was as apparent as ever. Across the country, CEPP served as an invaluable partner to courts, supervision agencies, parole boards, advocates, and directly impacted leaders—helping systems strengthen decision‑making and move the criminal justice field forward in practical, lasting ways.

In 2025, the justice field experienced significant upheaval, including a political swing and a decline in funding. Through it all, CEPP stayed grounded in trusted partnerships, careful analysis, and a dedication to helping the field make decisions that lead to real, measurable outcomes. 

Advancing Justice in Practice

In 2025, CEPP led important initiatives in pretrial justice, community supervision, parole decision‑making, and gender‑responsive practices. CEPP persevered through the upheavals and advanced new projects with both longstanding and new partners. CEPP’s work in 2025 shared a common through‑line: helping systems make stronger decisions that are fairer, more transparent, and more grounded in evidence and lived experience.

Building durable pretrial infrastructure

CEPP strengthened statewide and local pretrial systems through implementation support, training, and practical resources. From modernizing and expanding the Advancing Pretrial Policy & Research (APPR) platform to delivering large‑scale statewide training in California and supporting Virginia’s ongoing Public Safety Assessment (PSA) expansion, CEPP helped jurisdictions achieve and sustain improved practices.

Advancing community supervision practice and performance

CEPP partnered with community supervision agencies across the country to strengthen practices, improve outcomes, and respond to evolving expectations. Our team delivered training and technical assistance and developed practical supervision resources to help agencies improve policy and day-to-day practice, including approaches to recruitment and retention, staff wellness, responding to violations, and increasing supervision effectiveness.

Our work with state-level partners and with local jurisdictions in Indiana, with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, and through countrywide early-year Community Supervision Resource Center technical assistance helped agencies engage in deliberate, actionable strategic planning—clarifying priorities and setting achievable short- and long-term goals. This work also supported agencies in strengthening staff practice, using data more effectively, and promoting supervision approaches that advance safety, stability, and successful completion of supervision.

Supporting fair and consistent parole decision-making

In 2025, CEPP supported parole boards and paroling authorities through modernization efforts, implementation of structured decision-making, and training focused on transparency and consistency. Our work with the Turks and Caicos Islands Parole Board, along with continued state-level implementation of the Structured Decision-Making Framework (SDMF), reinforced CEPP’s role as a trusted national resource for parole practices that balance public safety, accountability, and meaningful opportunity for reintegration.

Centering dignity, families, and lived expertise

Through gender‑responsive and family‑centered initiatives, CEPP elevated approaches that recognize people in the system as parents, caregivers, and community members. CEPP expanded participatory, directly impacted leadership through Maine’s Justice Policy Coding Lab, where incarcerated women developed coding skills and designed practical digital tools to support reentry, victim services, and self-advocacy. 

CEPP also contributed to the Council on Criminal Justice’s Women’s Justice Commission and developed training and tools in partnership with impacted people. Our work reflected CEPP’s commitment to reform that supports people and their communities.

Looking Ahead to the New Year and Beyond

CEPP enters 2026 positioned for continued impact. Our focus is clear, our partnerships are strong, and our role in the field is expanding.

Stay tuned as CEPP deepens its partnerships, pushes for innovation, and supports new leaders. Thank you to our staff, partners, funders, and directly impacted colleagues who helped make this work possible. We look forward to continuing to work together in 2026.