WHY WE DEMAND THE STANDARD
Demand the Standard was born from a question I never should have had to ask:
Why should the quality of an investigation depend on who died?
After the death of my sister, Crystal McCrory Jones, I began examining the records surrounding her investigation. What I found changed the direction of my life and ultimately the purpose of my advocacy.
This work is bigger than one case.
I believe every unexplained, suspicious, violent, or self-inflicted death deserves a competent and thorough investigation from the beginning—regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, relationship history, public attention, someones past history, or how compelling someone believes the story to be.
Demand the Standard exists to advocate for consistent investigative standards, transparency, accountability, and families' right to ask questions when systems fall short.
I am not asking every investigation to reach the same conclusion.
I am asking that every life receive the same standard.
— Jana Guyewski-Lautigar
Founder, Demand the Standard
Jana Guyewski- Lautigar and Crystal McCrory Jones
Two sisters. One story that changed everything.
Demand the Standard grew from my experience seeking answers after the death of my sister, Crystal McCrory Jones. What began as a search for answers became something larger: a commitment to advocate for consistent investigations, transparency, accountability, and equal standards for every family.
This is where the mission became personal.
Meet the Founder
Jana Guyewski- Lautigar M.Ed., MSW, MS-DRL
Mother. Wife. Sister. Advocate. Teacher. Social Worker. Founder of Demand the Standard.
“I did not create Demand the Standard because I believe I know exactly what happened to my sister. I created it because I believe she deserved an investigation capable of finding out.” -Jana
After the death of her only sister, Crystal McCrory Jones, in a small town in Louisiana, Jana began examining the records surrounding Crystal’s investigation and asking questions about investigative standards, transparency, accountability, conflicts of interests and the rights of families seeking answers.
Demand the Standard grew from one sister’s experience into a broader principle: the quality of an investigation should never depend on a victim’s age, race, gender, sexuality, circumstances, public attention, perceived lifestyle, or how compelling their story is to the public.
Before the Advocacy, We Were Sisters.
Demand the Standard was born from loss, but Crystal McCrory Jones was so much more than the circumstances of her death.
She was my big sister, ten years older than me. She was more like a second mother, my best friend, and one of the most extraordinary aunts my girls could have ever had.
Before you read about the records, the unanswered questions, or the fight for accountability, I hope you'll take a moment to know her—and to understand who we were together before February 9, 2023.
