Nonprofit Legal Experts Debut Groundbreaking Tool to Measure Democratic Backsliding - the 'Threat to Democracy Index'

FULLERTON, CA, UNITED STATES, April 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Peace and Justice Law Center (PJLC) is launching a powerful new tool to help the public, press, and policymakers understand the state of American democracy: the Threat to Democracy Index (www.threatindex.org). This rigorously designed weekly assessment tracks how closely political developments in the United States resemble historical patterns of authoritarianism and fascism.

The Index scores nine dimensions of democratic decline—from erosion of judicial independence to centralized propaganda—on a 10-point rubric rooted in political science, constitutional law, and historical analysis. Each weekly update includes visual scores and written summaries, connecting real-world events to broader authoritarian trends. In addition to scores, the website will feature weekly updates evaluating the previous week’s news in relation to the broader trajectory of democratic decline.

“I first conceived of the Index while trying to make sense of the consequences of Trump’s re-election. I struggled to understand the scale of democratic decline in objective terms,” said Sean Garcia-Leys, civil rights attorney and co-executive director of PJLC. “A month later, a meeting with nonprofit leaders and a conversation with fellow attorneys made it clear that many still lacked the language to understand or even discuss what was happening. The Index exists to provide that clarity.”

Unlike partisan commentary or reactive headlines, the Threat to Democracy Index offers a structured, nonpartisan approach to evaluating democratic backsliding. The scoring system draws from decades of international research and is designed to highlight both long-term trends and urgent red flags. Its nine criteria-based measures are averaged into a single score tracked over time to reveal shifts in political conditions.

The Index website—ThreatIndex.org— is live as of 6:00 AM Pacific Time on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. It includes data, methods, weekly commentary, and a growing collection of explainers, commentary, and educational materials.

About PJLC
The Peace and Justice Law Center is a nonprofit public interest law firm based in Orange County, California. PJLC advances public safety and civil rights through litigation, policy advocacy, and education, especially for communities impacted by criminalization and state violence.

Sean Garcia-Leys
Peace and Justice Law Center
+1 323-490-2412
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