Our Story

In 1999, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious participated in a Catholic delegation to the women’s prisons in Chowchilla and Corona, California. During these visits, representatives from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet spent time listening to the incarcerated women discuss their needs.

One heartbreaking theme emerged repeatedly: "We never see our children."

The sisters learned that many of the women had not seen their children for the entire duration of their incarceration. These listening sessions profoundly impacted the sisters, leading to the formation of the Women in Criminal Justice, a network of women dedicated to organizing and advocating for the rights of incarcerated women.

This group of sisters and laywomen sponsored the first Get On The Bus trip in 1999 under the volunteer leadership of Sr. Suzanne Steffen, CSJ (1928–2026). The inaugural event included one bus, 9 incarcerated mothers, 17 children with their guardians, primarily maternal grandmothers, who traveled to the two women’s prisons in Chowchilla.

Sr. Suzanne Jabro, CSJ, Director of Detention Ministry for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, brought the program under the sponsorship of her department, where it operated for another three years out of the chancery offices.

 In 2003, Sr. Suzanne Jabro left her position at the LA Archdiocese to lead Women in Criminal Justice and Get On The Bus full-time under the corporate umbrella of the Sisters of St. Joseph Ministerial Services, a nonprofit incubator supporting startups launched by the sisters. After being deemed financially and organizationally sound, the ministry was separately incorporated as The Center for Restorative Justice Works on October 1, 2007.

Meet our Founder, Sister Suzanne

Sister Suzanne Jabro, CSJ, is known for founding the Center for Restorative Justice Works, an interfaith collective advocating for the rights and improved living conditions of women in prison. CRJW’s flagship program is Get on The Bus, but the agency also launched the Women of Wisdom (WOW), a grassroots collective that facilitated spiritual growth opportunities and support groups for women serving life sentences at the California Institute for Women in Corona, California, and CAMPP (Children and Moms Prison Picnic), a day-camp program that brought children to visit their mothers at the California Institute for Women for a day of fun family activities.

Click below Sister Suzanne’s headshot to view her full bio.

  • Get On The Bus Founder

    Sister Suzanne Jabro, CSJ, is known for founding the Center for Restorative Justice Works, an interfaith collective advocating for the rights and improved living conditions of women in prison. CRJW’s flagship program is Get on The Bus, but the agency also launched the Women of Wisdom (WOW), a grassroots collective that facilitated spiritual growth opportunities and support groups for women serving life sentences at the California Institute for Women in Corona, California, and CAMPP (Children and Moms Prison Picnic), a day-camp program that brought children to visit their mothers at the California Institute for Women for a day of fun family activities.

    Prior to founding CRJW, Sr. Suzanne spend 30 years in restorative justice ministries where she directed Juvenile Detention Chaplaincy for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Later she served as the Director of Prison Ministry for the Seattle Catholic Archdiocese in Western Washington. Sr. Suzanne returned to California and was hired a second time by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Department of Restorative Justice which included 26 chaplains serving adults and juveniles.

    Today, Sr. Suzanne is the Founder, Chief Inviter and Crossover Guide for Border Compassion, a faith-based movement to attend to the needs of asylum-seekers living at a shelter in Mexicali, Mexico where they await the legal immigration process into the US. Border Compassion forms a grassroots network of accompaniment, care and human rights.

    Suzanne is a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Education from Mount St. Mary’s University, as well as a Masters of Divinity from Seattle University. Sister Suzanne served on the Leadership team for the Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet.