We promote meaningful alternatives to typical responses like jail and prison, fostering accountability for those who have done harm in ways that create a safer future for all.
Each year, millions of people struggling with substance use, mental illness, housing insecurity, and other life challenges cycle through the criminal justice system. Yet typical responses to crime—like fines and incarceration—often fail to address these root causes, leaving people no better off than when they came into the system.
For more than 30 years, we have partnered with courts in New York, New Jersey, and across the country to develop evidence-based alternatives that promote safety, accountability, and better outcomes for both participants and their communities. At each stage of the legal process, we connect people to community-based services that meet their underlying needs and reduce the likelihood of future harm—from mental health and substance use treatment to career guidance, education assistance, and peer mentorship.
Some of our programs, like Project Reset, focus on building pathways out of the justice system and into community-based care for people charged with low-level crimes, often before they step foot in court. Others, like the Brooklyn Mental Health Court and Manhattan Justice Opportunities, offer safe, meaningful alternatives to jail and prison for people dealing with more complex needs.
Drawing on our field-leading research and experience on the ground, we share what we learn with communities across the country seeking to develop new, more effective responses to crime. We have worked in all 50 states and partnered with more than 400 courts, government agencies, and community organizations to help implement effective alternatives that prioritize support and address the root causes of harm.
The idea behind Manhattan’s Felony Alternative-to-Incarceration (ATI) Court is simple: what if the justice system could help people address the core life issues that led to an arrest in order to prevent it from happening again?
