New narratives: changing the frame on crime and justice

The research shows that these strategies can shift and expand public thinking and yield new and more productive public conversations around criminal justice reform.

The MessageMemo is organised as follows. First, we Chart the Landscape by describing how dominant patterns of thinking create challenges and opportunities for those communicating about criminal justice reform. With a detailed map of what communicators are up against, we then outline a Redirection Strategy – an integrated set of framing recommendations that have emerged from our research. This strategy includes what experts and advocates should and should not do in their communications materials. The research shows that these strategies can shift and expand public thinking and yield new and more productive public conversations around criminal justice reform.