Look back at some creative new initiatives, fresh perspectives on justice policy, and milestones in Community Justice from our teams across the Center.
1. First-Ever Book Award Judged by Incarcerated People
Judges meet with the Freedom Reads team in Arizona's state prison in Perryville.
In the inaugural Inside Literary Prize, more than 200 people incarcerated in prisons across the country voted on a winning book after months of reading and deliberation. The prize, which we supported with Freedom Reads, the National Book Foundation, and bookstore owner Lori Feathers, was awarded to Imani Perry for her book South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation. Hear from some of the prize’s judges at Shakopee women’s prison in Minnesota on a special episode of our New Thinking podcast.
2. A Youth-Led Music and Arts Festival in Brownsville
Young people from our Brownsville Community Justice Center closed out their summer programming in digital media, photography, and music production by helping organize the 2024 [B]Live Music and Arts Festival. [B]Live is an annual tradition celebrating resilience and talent in Brownsville, Brooklyn. This year’s [B]Live featured fresh food from local vendors, creative arts stations, and performances from musicians like Dave East, Cassidy, and Jesse Royal.
3. Embracing Community Justice in Our Mission
At the Center, we’ve always believed that local communities are crucial to delivering justice and safety. That’s why we updated our mission statement to reflect the vision at the heart of all of our work: Community Justice. Community Justice is a full-spectrum approach that brings everyone together—courts, communities, service providers, and the people most impacted—to build safety and racial justice. Read an op-ed from our CEO Courtney Bryan and check out our new video series to get a feel for what Community Justice looks like on the ground.
4. Mental Health Support in the Justice System Gets a Major Boost
New York Governor Kathy Hochul paid a visit to our Midtown Community Justice Center to announce a $33 million investment into mental health support and services for New Yorkers ensnared in the criminal justice system. The investment will give a much-needed boost to programs like the Community Justice Center, which helps people struggling with mental illness and other challenges resolve their court cases and access community-based care.
5. Introducing the Street Action Network
This year, we launched the Street Action Network—a cutting-edge initiative to create lasting solutions to gun violence by uplifting the voices of young people who have been impacted. The initiative draws on our groundbreaking research into the root causes of gun violence led by a team with firsthand experience of the streets. In a conversation with Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams, Street Action Network Co-Directors Basaime Spate and Javonte Alexander talked through the importance of community-led approaches, the connection between gun violence and structural racism, and centering the voices of those who have experienced violence.
6. Public Housing Residents Take the Lead in Shaping Policy
At the NeighborhoodStat Community Policy Breakfast, residents across 30 New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) sites joined city agencies, community organizations, and our Neighborhood Safety Initiatives team to make their voices heard and drive better, more responsive policy decisions. The event was part of a longer-term, resident-led project to develop goals for their neighborhoods around key priorities and policy areas like infrastructure, economic stability, youth development, and more.
7. Citywide Reforms Tackle Case Delays that Keep New Yorkers in Jail
The right to a speedy trial is a cornerstone of our justice system, but administrative delays in processing court cases leave many New Yorkers awaiting trial for months in jail. We’re proud to be working with New York’s court system on a sweeping set of reforms that aim to help serious cases get resolved with the urgency individuals, families, and communities deserve.
8. Making Policies Work on the Ground
Every policy reform is a hard-fought victory, but making a new policy work on the ground can be a major challenge in its own right. One example of that struggle can be seen in Oregon’s Measure 110, a reform that decriminalized drug possession but was pulled back after hitting roadblocks in implementation. That’s why we partnered with New York Law School to launch the Institute for Justice Policy Implementation, a new initiative that brings policymakers, advocates, and practitioners together to tackle implementation challenges before they sidetrack vital reforms.
9. The New Nationwide Commission Supporting Women in the Justice System
Our CEO Courtney Bryan speaks about the Women's Justice Commission at our Brownsville Community Justice Center.
Formed by the Council on Criminal Justice and chaired by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, the Women’s Justice Commission is a new national initiative that aims to bring awareness to the unique issues women face in the criminal justice system and identify community-driven solutions. To mark the Commission’s launch, its 15 members—including our CEO Courtney Bryan—visited our Brownsville Community Justice Center to hear from young women serving as leaders and advocates in their own communities.
10. Restorative Justice in the Spotlight
Restorative justice invites us to see a crime not as a breach of the law, but as a breakdown of a relationship—the relationship we have with our loved ones, our neighbors, or our fellow human beings. It challenges us to ask: What would it look like to start repairing that relationship? This year, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and the Institute for State and Local Governance announced a $16.5 million investment in restorative justice programs across the city, including our Midtown program that works with teenagers arrested for weapons possession. Take a closer look at how restorative justice can foster a deeper sense of safety and accountability on The Arc.