Who We Are

Wren is a team made up of former public defenders and policy experts who support elected officials, grassroots advocates, and other allies on policy development and implementation along with narrative change. Wren thinks broadly across systems and issues to find the best ways to solve the seemingly intractable problems that lead to crime. Our North Star is replacing ineffective and often disingenuous approaches to crime and safety with those that support victims, keep people healthy and safe, and help everyone thrive and live with dignity.  

We believe achieving this goal is essential to preserving a democratic, functional society. Overreliance on the legal system has papered over our failures to implement solutions that attack the root causes of crime and prevent victimization. It has, in other words, created more victims and less safe communities.  At the same time, the criminal system is easily turned against political opponents by those in power. The use of the legal system as a tool to disempower marginalized communities is no more apparent than right now. 

We believe everyone in this country deserves safety, dignity, stability, and security, and we hope that our work will help achieve that goal.

Wren’s Origin

Wren started in 2020 as a small LLC. Its non-profit work began in 2021 and now is where nearly all of our work and staff members are housed. Over five years, we have grown from 4 staff members to 11. Our staff works and lives across the country. We are a team of lawyers.