James Bell

James Bell is the Executive Director of the W. Haywood Burns Institute. Prior to his current position, he represented incarcerated youth as a staff attorney at the Youth Law Center in San Francisco for 20 years.

At the BI, Bell has worked extensively to address the overrepresentation of youth of color in juvenile justice systems. He has helped guide disparities reduction in over 30 jurisdictions across the country, helping lead stakeholders in achieving measurable reduction of ethnic and racial disparities in juvenile justice systems while upholding public safety.

Bell is also the co-director of the Community Justice Network for Youth, and has been piloting work regarding the distinct impact of policies and practices on youth of color, including the imposition of the death penalty on children, mental health issues and school disciplinary policies. On the international level, Bell has worked with governments around restorative justice principles, including assistting the African National Congress in South Africa, Palestinian and Israeli judicial officers, Cambodian human rights advocates and New Zealand family group counseling officials.

Bell is the recipient of a Kellogg National Leadership Fellowship; Livingstone Hall Award for Outstanding Juvenile Advocacy from the American Bar Association; Clinton White Attorney of the Year Award from the Charles Houston Bar Association; and "Advocate of the Year" from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Justice Department.