Origins
- Founded in 2007 by Raj Jaydev and community organizers at Silicon Valley De-Bug in San José, California.
- Created as a response to mass incarceration and the need for families and communities to have agency in the justice process.
Core Principles
- Families act as part of the defense team, not passive observers.
- Community organizing through weekly “Family Justice Hubs.”
- Shifting power from courts and lawyers toward those most affected by incarceration.
- Each case creates a ripple effect, mobilizing broader awareness and systemic reform.
Key Practices
- Case support: Families learn to analyze police reports, transcripts, and evidence.
- Mitigation tools: Creation of social biography videos and narratives that humanize defendants.
- Court watching: Community members attend hearings to hold the system accountable.
- Peer leadership: Facilitators often include those who have supported loved ones through the system.
Impact
- Transforms case outcomes by reducing sentences or shifting charges.
- Builds political power for communities harmed by incarceration.
- Expanded nationally, inspiring participatory defense hubs across the United States.
Summary
The Ripple Effect Participatory Defense Movement is a community-based model that empowers families to influence criminal case outcomes, strengthens collective power, and turns individual cases into catalysts for systemic change.
For more information about the Ripple Effect Participatory Hub, contact them at 616-400-2396 or send an email to rippleeffectpdhub@gmail.com
You can also log on to https://www.
A story coming soon about the organization leaders in Lansing, MI, Elias and Melinda Williams.
