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Colleen Smith

Project Director of New Jersey Programs

Colleen joined Newark Community Solutions, the Center’s community justice initiative in New Jersey, as the Clinical Coordinator in 2014. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Director of New Jersey Programs at the Center for Justice Innovation, she now oversees Newark Community Solutions and supports the Center’s work throughout the state of New Jersey. Colleen possesses over a decade of experience working with people involved in the legal system in both community and custodial settings. In addition to her work at the Center, Colleen works in higher education and is an alumnus of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Clinical Scholars program, a national leadership program that helps interdisciplinary teams of clinicians build a culture of health in their communities.

Colleen holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from New York University and a Bachelor’s Degree from McGill University.

Colleen's Updates

This Court Aims to Build Safety by Focusing on the Individual
Middle-aged man with yellow sunglasses and a button-down shirt on a park bench during the day.
  • Article
  • This Court Aims to Build Safety by Focusing on the Individual

    By offering people the support and resources they need to find a better path, Manhattan’s Felony Alternative to Incarceration Court is working to build a safer New York for us all.

    Feb 18, 2025

    The Human Costs of Fines and Fees
    Cartoon illustration of man walking up increasingly steep stacks of coins with handcuffs and a gavel hovering above them.
  • Article
  • The Human Costs of Fines and Fees

    Fines and fees add to the burden on people navigating the justice system, making it harder to get back on their feet. There’s a better path to safety.

    Feb 4, 2025

    A Constitutional Right, But Public Defense Comes with a Fee
    Woman in a winter jacket stands in front of an indoor booth below the words
  • Article
  • A Constitutional Right, But Public Defense Comes with a Fee

    More than 60 years after the Supreme Court guaranteed the right to an attorney for those who can’t afford one, public defense attorneys still often come with a price. Our new report takes a closer look at the role of defender fees across the country.

    Jan 22, 2025