John Terzano has been involved in social justice advocacy for more than 45 years. He was the co-founder and President of The Justice Project a non-profit, non-partisan organization working to increase fairness and accuracy in the criminal justice system. The Justice Project developed, coordinated, and implemented integrated national and state-based campaigns involving public education, litigation and legislation to reform the criminal justice system.
Terzano was a co-founder and Vice President of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation – VVAF), an international advocacy and humanitarian organization that addressed the causes, conduct and consequences of war. In 1991, VVAF began an advocacy campaign to ban landmines. In 1997, an international treaty banning landmines was signed by 122 nations. VVAF’s work on the International Campaign to Ban Landmines was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
Terzano, a veteran of the U.S. Navy (1970-74), served two tours in Vietnam and helped to lead the first delegation of American veterans to return to Vietnam after the war.
Terzano was an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Dayton School of Law where he was the Director of The Academic Success Program. Previously, Terzano was the Director of Academic Support for the evening division of the University of the District of Columbia School of Law.
For the Justice Project, Terzano co-authored and edited Prosecutorial Accountability; Improving Eyewitness Identification Procedures; Electronic Recording of Custodial Interrogations; Open File Discovery; Improving the Practice and Use of Forensic Science; Improving Access to Post-Conviction DNA Testing and Jailhouse Snitch Testimony.
