James Bell is the Founder and Executive Director of the W. Haywood Burns Institute. Mr.Bell and his colleagues at the Burns Institute are working with systems and community stakeholders to reduce disproportionality of youth of color in the juvenile justice system in 23 jurisdictions throughout the country. He also guides the BI's Community Justice Network for Youth, a national network of programs working successfully with young people of color.

He has appeared on Nightline and the Tavis Smiley show. Also he authored the Unequal Justice section in the Covenant with Black America. James is also on the Board of Directors for Death Penalty Focus.

James has extensive experience in the international juvenile justice arena: he assisted the African National Congress in the administration of the juvenile justice system in South Africa; worked with Palestinians and Israelis on alternatives to juvenile incarceration; trained government officials and activists on the human rights of children in Cambodia, Kenya, Brazil and France; and worked closely on restorative justice policy with officials in New Zealand and Australia.This summer he traveled to China to work with Chinese officials and policymakers on proven-risk youth.

Prior to founding the Burns Institute, James served as a Staff Attorney at the YouthLawCenter in San Francisco for over 20 years, representing incarcerated youth. James is the recipient of a Kellogg National Leadership Fellowship, the Livingstone Hall Award from the American Bar Association, Attorney of the Year from the Charles Houston Bar Association, the Advocate of the Year from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,the Moral Leadership Against Injustice Award of the Delancey Street Foundation and the Local Hero Award from the San Francisco Corporation for Public Broadcasting. He has just been awarded the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award.

He received his J.D. from HastingsCollege of the Law.