About Us
Our mission is to advance criminal justice and fairness through law and science
We envision a criminal legal system that is safe for all people, supports recovery, and reduces criminalization
The Wilson Center for Science and Justice brings together faculty and students at Duke University in law, medicine, behavioral health, public policy, and arts and sciences to conduct research, develop policy recommendations, and educate the next generation of criminal justice professionals to improve criminal justice outcomes.
Our work is non-partisan and evidence-informed. We engage with community organizations, practitioners, and policymakers to inform our research and develop solutions.
Our distinctive approach
- Law and medical school faculty working with researchers across multiple disciplines, with expertise spanning prevention, systems improvement, and post-conviction issues
- Deep integration of behavioral health perspectives throughout our research, recognizing the central role of mental health and substance use in system involvement
- A collaborative approach with community organizations, practitioners, law enforcement, and policymakers that translates research into actionable practice and policy recommendations
Our focus areas:
- Improving Fairness and Public Safety: Advancing data-driven solutions to racial, economic, behavioral health, and other structural disparities in the criminal legal system to strengthen communities and improve safety for all
- Building Pathways Out of the Criminal Legal System: Improving supports for people as they return to their communities after incarceration and preventing entry into the criminal legal system through alternative models of response and support
- Preventing Wrongful Convictions: Promoting better forensic practices and legal decision-making to eliminate wrongful convictions and strengthen fairness of and trust in the criminal legal system
- Advancing Fair Sentencing and Expanding Pathways to Release: Promoting second chances and fairer sentencing to build a justice system that values accountability, redemption, and public safety
- Reducing the Harms of Criminal Legal System Involvement: Studying the financial and behavioral health consequences of system involvement to reduce harm and support safer, more stable communities
The Center launched in 2019 with a $4.7 million grant from the Charles Koch Foundation. In 2020, the Center received a $5 million grant from The Wilson Foundation to fund its research and educational activities. Additional support for the Center has been provided by Stand Together, Arnold Ventures, the Duke Endowment, the Vital Projects Fund, and the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE), #StartSmall, NC Department of Health and Human Services, Just Trust, The Institute for Humane Studies, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation.
Read more about our team and our advisory board, and read our latest annual report here.
Our Partners
