Everyday Injustice Podcast Episode 291: Patrice Sulton - Inside D.C.’s Broken System

Everyday Injustice

On this episode of Everyday Injustice, host David Greenwald speaks with Patrice Sulton, founder of the DC Justice Lab, attorney, professor, and nationally recognized criminal justice reform advocate. As the organization marks its fifth anniversary, Sulton reflects on its origins—launched by law students seeking change in the wake of George Floyd’s murder—and its evolution into a major force for reform in Washington, D.C. Sulton discusses a pressing dilemma facing the justice reform movement: how to reconcile the “no new jails” movement with the needs of incarcerated D.C. residents, many of whom are housed far from their families due to the city’s lack of statehood. For those serving time under local D.C. laws, proximity to loved ones and more humane conditions are desperately needed, even if it means building a new facility—an idea that conflicts with broader abolitionist aims. The conversation explores Sulton’s advocacy for data-driven, risk-based firearm policies as an alternative to punitive approaches that often fail to prevent violence. She critiques the superficial success metrics used by law enforcement and highlights the need for a public safety strategy rooted in evidence, equity, and prevention. Sulton also offers pointed insights on the ethical responsibilities of prosecutors, the federal overreach into D.C.'s governance, and the politicization of justice under recent U.S. Attorneys. Ultimately, Sulton remains hopeful. While acknowledging the cyclical nature of progress and backlash in criminal justice reform, she emphasizes the importance of long-term organizing and movement lawyering. With the D.C. Justice Lab fostering the next generation of advocates, she calls on listeners to get involved, study the issues, and help build a more just and equitable legal system.