Center for Justice Innovation

The outdoor space of Patterson Houses in the South Bronx is getting a makeover this year.???? ?? The project at the NYCHA complex, which is home to nearly 4,500 residents, will include two new playgrounds, an adult outdoor fitness center and renovations to the existing basketball court, including a new mural. These kinds of renovations will “set a model for what these resident-led processes can look like,” said Aren Castro, associate director of our Neighborhood Safety Initiatives team. They collected survey responses from 15% of Patterson residents who opted to make their outdoor space more intergenerational. Our Neighborhood Safety Initiatives team collaborates with the Public Housing Community Fund, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), Design Trust for Public Space, KOMPAN Inc Americas, and HOOPBUS on Green Space Connections. Read more in the Bronx Times: https://lnkd.in/eUPKmwFg

How can family courts help build community justice? ?? The challenges that bring people into family court are complex and interconnected, from poverty to housing insecurity to intergenerational trauma. These underlying issues are often best met with support and care in the community, yet the typical court process can lead to cycles of even more harm and system involvement. Learn how family courts across New York are addressing those challenges with Community Justice, bringing everyone to the table to meet parents’ and children’s needs and foster safer, stronger futures for all. ?? https://lnkd.in/e-UB38gu

The Center for Justice Innovation welcomes national housing justice leader Rasmia Kirmani as our new Chief Program Officer for Community Safety. ?? Kirmani is a national expert on public housing with deep expertise in community engagement and public safety and has been working closely with the Center for three decades, most recently as the Center’s Board Chair. ?? Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eVSPz5xY

To mark National Public Defender Week, listen to our three-part podcast series exploring the unfulfilled potential of public defense through the lens of the Supreme Court’s 1963 Gideon decision. ?? Find all three episodes here: https://lnkd.in/eScMwrJZ

We were happy to honor Assembly Member Latrice Walker last weekend for her staunch advocacy for a fairer justice system and her unwavering support for Brownsville Community Justice Center. ??

Rikers is an "incubator of misery" that must close—and a new report from the Independent Rikers Commission shows how. Read the latest recommendations from the Commission, which our CEO Courtney Bryan serves on: https://lnkd.in/gdskwiZN

“When we join together, we can overcome together,” says Michelle Horne-Findley, LMSW, SIFI, MS / NYS Reg. Lobbyist, one of our Manhattan Justice Opportunities social workers.? Check out highlights from the New York State Association of Black Puerto Rican Hispanic and Asian Legislators Inc. conference in Albany last month, where we joined policymakers, community members, and our many other partners working to build coalitions, invest in communities, and put residents at the center of decisions that impact them. Hear from leaders like the Office of the New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, Assembly Member Brian-Christopher Cunningham, and Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson on how our programs like the Queens Community Justice Center are bringing people together to make change in communities across New York.

?? Calling all criminal court practitioners!??? Experiences of trauma are nearly universal in the criminal justice system. According to some estimates, more than 90% of incarcerated people have suffered from traumatic experiences, often starting in childhood. Contact with the justice system—getting arrested, going to court, or spending time in jail or prison—can put someone at risk of even more trauma. With support from the State Justice Institute, the Center for Justice Innovation has developed the Trauma-Informed Practice Strategy (TIPS) Lab to help criminal courts better respond to trauma. The TIPS Lab is currently accepting applications for no-cost, intensive training and technical assistance for criminal courts across the country seeking to implement trauma-informed approaches and prevent further harm for people navigating the justice system. ?? APPLY by April 7, 2025: https://lnkd.in/eVyHFuhV?

Today marks 62 years since the Supreme Court guaranteed the right to an attorney for those who can’t afford one. But did you know that public defense attorneys still often come with a price? A recent national survey we conducted explores how public defense attorneys see defender fees impacting their communities. https://lnkd.in/eHP3ukbS

The Red Hook Community Justice Center is home to a courthouse, but it’s also much more than that. It's a hub for support and community for residents in need, whether they have a court case or not. In amNewYork, read the story of the Red Hook Community Justice Center and hear from its staff and Judge Devin Robinson about how we're transforming what justice looks like for those in Red Hook and beyond. https://lnkd.in/ewrD3TAT