In Tennessee, The Justice Project (TJP) works to reform the state’s criminal justice system, with a particular focus on increasing fairness and accuracy in the administration of capital punishment. In pursuit of its mission, TJP educates the public, media, and policymakers in Tennessee about the problems facing the state’s criminal justice system and seeks necessary reforms.

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The Justice Project coordinates a coalition of Tennessee-based advocates to raise awareness of and propose solutions to systemic problems within the Tennessee criminal justice system, with a focus on indigent defense. Our public education, litigation support, and legislative reform efforts address the underlying causes of wrongful convictions and highlight the need for a fair and accurate system.

  • Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations in Tennessee

    • The Justice Project’s Latest Report Details Benefits of Recording Interrogations for Tennessee Police

    The Justice Project has released a new report documenting that that a majority of Tennessee law enforcement agencies electronically record custodial interrogations at least some of the time and report that the practice strengthens prosecutions.  Legislation has been introduced in Tennessee that would ensure that law enforcement agencies statewide reap the many benefits of recording custodial interrogations.  Read the report Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations in Tennessee: A Review of Current Practices here.

    Tennessee law enforcement agencies’ choice to electronically record custodial interrogations mirrors a growing national trend. States such as Alaska, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, New Mexico, Maine, Wisconsin and Illinois have mandated recording in order to strengthen the quality of evidence available for criminal prosecutions.


  • Pretend Justice

    • Pretend Justice – Defense Representation in Tennessee Death Penalty Cases, an article published in The University of Memphis Law Review, documents the systemic failure of Tennessee to provide effective representation to indigent defendants in capital cases. Tennessee’s failure to provide competent representation results in bad lawyering and a system that is unfair and unjust.

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