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, public policy, and arts and sciences to pursue research, policy, and education to improve criminal justice outcomes. Our work is non-partisan and evidence-informed. We engage with community stakeholders, academics, and policy makers to conduct and translate interdisciplinary research into effective and practical policy solutions.
At the Wilson Center, we focus on three main areas:
- Accuracy of evidence: Preventing wrongful convictions by improving and fundamentally reforming how scientists, the public, judges, lawyers, and jurors understand evidence presented in court
- Fairness in criminal outcomes: Promoting fair outcomes in the criminal legal system by identifying racial, economic, and other structural disparities at all levels, and collaborating with community stakeholders and policy makers to implement solutions
- Behavioral health needs: Improving outcomes for persons with mental illness and substance use disorders who encounter, or are at risk for encountering, the criminal legal system
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 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
