NEWS & COMMENTARY

By Racquel Romans-Henry Over the next 12 years, New Jersey has an opportunity to invest more than $1.1 billion in the communities most harmed by the opioid crisis and decades of punitive drug policies. These dollars can help repair that harm, address racial inequities and strengthen community-led solutions. But that promise will go unfulfilled if the money flows through the same systems that have historically criminalized Black communities while denying them the resources ne

Photo by Ande Richards By Ande Richards | NJ.com Jah’saan Reid thought he was signing up for a summer job. The 17-year-old was out of school and uncertain about his future when he joined the Junior Street Team at Trenton’s Restorative Justice Hub. Instead of just a paycheck, he said, he found mentors who listened to him, challenged him and helped him recognize his own potential. “I didn’t realize I was joining a community of people who believed in me, supported me and wanted

By: Jim Vasil Posted: Oct 15, 2026 / 06:10 PM EDT Updated: Oct 15, 2026 / 06:10 PM EDT TRENTON, N.J. (PIX11) – Passion and emotion were on display at the New Jersey State House, where on Thursday, religious and social justice leaders, including Rev. Al Sharpton, raised their voices in support of the New Jersey Statewide Black Agenda. “We came to give a warning to New Jersey that we went to the ballot, now we want to collect on what we voted for,” said Sharpton. Social justic

Yesterday, Governor Mikie Sherrill unveiled a major housing strategy intended to address New Jersey's affordability crisis. The administration's report concludes that New Jersey must build hundreds of thousands of additional homes in the coming years if the state hopes to keep pace with demand, reduce costs, and remain economically competitive. The scale of the challenge is undeniable. Across New Jersey, families are struggling to afford rent. Young adults are questioning whe

The recent mass shooting in Trenton is a devastating reminder of the human cost of violence. Families are grieving, survivors are recovering, and residents are once again being asked to carry the trauma of an event they did not create. This moment demands urgency, but it also demands wisdom, compassion and more than the familiar cycle of outrage, enforcement and short-term response. The time is now for the city of Trenton, our state’s capital, to establish a municipal Office

By Steve Lenox Published July 31, 2026 at 11:10 AM Last updated July 31, 2026 at 11:10 AM MERCER COUNTY, NJ - "Ms., I won't be alive to care about that stuff." It's a sentence Coleta Walker has heard more than once from teenagers at Mercer County's Restorative Justice Hub when conversations turn to college, careers, or adulthood. For Walker, director of the Restorative Justice Hub, changing that mindset is the first step toward changing a life. "When someone believes their li

Mercer County recently awarded the Trenton-based organization, Salvation and Social Justice, $500,000 for a 2-year Restorative Justice Hub pilot. The hub will coordinate with schools, families, and organizations to offer mentorship and resources to struggling youth.

This story was published in the Trentonian Crime in Trenton dropped 20 percent in the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to new city data, with homicides and robberies falling by more than half. The Police Department’s May CitiStat report, which covers Jan. 1 through May 3, showed homicides fell from seven to three, a 57 percent decline, and robberies dropped from 78 to 33, a 58 percent decline. Overall reported crime fell from 1,037

In this opinion piece for the New Jersey Globe, Rev. Dr. Charles F. Boyer reflects on Governor Mikie Sherrill's first 100 days in office.

Standing in front of the alter packed with CD-12 Democratic Primary candidates inside the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, the Rev. Pastor Dante Quick took the microphone in front of the crowd this morning and spelled out the issues of importance to his community - and defined the constitutional passion and conscience at the heart of the country. Read the full story here: https://www.insidernj.com/cd-12-candidates-address-black-community-priorities-lincoln-gardens/?fb

Story on Insider NJ “Governor Phil Murphy’s final State of the State address affirms a legacy defined by bold, community‑rooted justice reform — a legacy that was shaped not only by his administration but by the unwavering advocacy of New Jersey’s Black faith community and the leadership of Salvation and Social Justice (SandSJ). For years, these faith‑rooted organizers have carried the moral vision for a fairer New Jersey, and throughout Murphy’s tenure, that vision became

Opioid Settlement Dollars Should Fund Proven Health Solutions — Not Create a Slush Fund to Backfill Federal Budget Cuts  Read Third Annual Roadmap Here ; Local Public Health Experts Available for Comment Trenton, NJ- Today, Salvation and Social Justice joins a national coalition of more than 230 organizations from 40 states (and D.C.) in jointly releasing A National Roadmap for Spending Opioid Settlement Funds in 2026: Supporting Communities & Ending the Overdose Cris

Trenton, NJ — Governor Murphy recently signed S2348/A4175, codifying the Attorney General’s Use of Force Directive into state law. This action ensures that long‑overdue protections against police violence will endure beyond any administration and stands as one of the strongest statutory safeguards in the country.

Trenton, NJ- As reported by NJ Spotlight News, f ourteen former corrections officers and staff no longer face criminal charges related...

Several members of Jack Ciattarelli’s team have reached out to schedule a visit to my church.