Recognizing that poverty borne from profound and pervasive discrimination and marginalization of TGI people is a major underlying cause of why TGI people end up in prison, TGIJP addresses human rights abuses against TGI prisoners through strategies that effect systemic change. Thus, TGIJP uses innovative combinations of direct services and community organizing to support the leadership development and capacity building of the TGI communities, and especially of TGI prisoners and former prisoners.

Because of the profound and complex impact the prison industrial complex has had on the disabled, poor communities, communities of color and TGI communities, TGIJP operates at the intersections of race, gender, sex, class, sexual orientation, intersexuality, and ability, among others. In doing this work, TGIJP prioritizes and centralizes the wisdom and leadership of TGI prisoners and former prisoners.