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Becoming a Member

Driving systemic change in the criminal justice system

The Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) is a network of over 200 non-profit organisations and academics. Members work across the criminal justice system, in areas like crime prevention, sentencing, policing, prisons, probation, victim services, mental health, and drug policy and treatment, with the common goal of making it fairer and more effective. 

As a CJA member, you can amplify your work,  broaden your impact, and make the changes that you want to see in the criminal justice system.

The annual fee for membership of the CJA covers everything. There are no extra costs to members for any of the benefits, including attendance at events and advertising vacancies. 

I love the quality of communication and information. It’s solid, meaty and informative.
I also love the passion, the focus and the drive that is evident in the CJA.
– Clean Sheet

CJA membership benefits

As a member of the CJA you will be able to:

  • The CJA co-produces responses to Parliamentary and government consultations with its members. 
  • Sector leaders and policymakers regularly attend events. Previous guests include government ministers and officials such as the Victims’ Commissioner, Chief Inspectors, and Police and Crime Commissioners. The CJA is committed to providing its members access points to policymakers and ensuring that their experiences and expertise are listened to.  
  • The CJA hosts several Expert Groups in which members contribute to shaping CJA’s policy work based on their respective area of expertise. 
Read our co-produced responses
  • CJA bulletins regularly promote the recent achievements of CJA members to a list which also includes relevant policymakers and government officials. 
  • The CJA is often approached by mainstream media outlets covering criminal justice issues and so provides journalists with recommendations of members whose work is relevant to their request. 
  • The CJA regularly shares the work and requests of its members to a combined social media audience of over 19k. 
  • The CJA partners with organisations to promote members’ work. Our recent partnership with Media Trust matched nine of our members with a professional filmmaker to create a fully funded short film about their work and impact. 

The CJA hosts a range of member-only events including project launches, conferences, meetings with policymakers, research symposiums, and more.  

Research symposium

Each year the CJA will partner with a university to hold a research symposium to explore a vision for a fair and effective criminal justice system. Academic members are invited and encouraged to present. 

The CJA Awards

The CJA Awards, generously supported by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, celebrate the outstanding individuals and organisations like you, who are working to make the criminal justice system fairer and more effective. 

Check out the CJA awards

The CJA’s regular Friday bulletins mean you stay up to date with criminal justice policy and sector news.

  • The biweekly member bulletin share member’s news and media coverage, upcoming events, job opportunities, and more.
  • The biweekly policy bulletin shares the latest in criminal justice policy development.
  • The quarterly research bulletin focuses on academic criminal justice and policy research.
Read a members' bulletin here.