Brooklyn Justice Initiatives

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks to improve how the centralized criminal court in Brooklyn responds to misdemeanor and felony cases.

Operating out of Brooklyn Criminal Court on Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Justice Initiatives is staffed by a team of social workers, case managers, and court liaisons. By providing meaningful early diversion, pretrial supervised release, and post-conviction sentencing options, Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks to use an arrest as a window of opportunity to change the direction of an individual’s life and avoid unnecessary incarceration.

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Highlights

Brooklyn Young Adult Court

The Brooklyn Young Adult Court seeks to provide meaningful alternatives to conventional prosecution for young people, ages 18 to 24, charged with misdemeanors.
Supervised Release Program

The Supervised Release Program reduces the number of people held in jail simply because they cannot afford bail.
Driver Accountability Program

The Driver Accountability Program is an innovative response to driving-related offenses that seeks to improve traffic safety and increase accountability among dangerous drivers.

Photo Gallery

Tyler Morse, Office Manager, greeting a client — Office manager Tyler Morse greets a client.

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives at the 2019 National Night Out. — The team participates in the 2019 National Night Out to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood unity.

Publications & Digital Media

Label:Publication

Community Justice Today: Values, Guiding Principles, and Models

The idea of community justice encompasses a diverse and growing range of evidence-based initiatives which seek to reduce crime by strengthening communities and redressing longstanding inequities. In recognition of the ways in which the approach has evolved over the years, this publication presents a new set of guiding principles of community justice and offers inventive models for putting them into practice, both inside and outside of the courtroom.

Community Justice
Label:Publication

Fact Sheet: Brooklyn Felony Alternatives-to-Incarceration Court

The Brooklyn Felony Alternatives-to-Incarceration Court offers community-based interventions and rigorous judicial monitoring, decreasing the use of jail and prison sentences and leading to reduced criminal dispositions.

Rethinking Incarceration
Label:Publication

Fact Sheet: Brooklyn Justice Initiatives

An overview of Brooklyn Justice Initiatives, a program that seeks to forge a new response to misdemeanor and non-violent felony defendants in Kings County, New York.

Bail Reform

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News

A Coffee Stand in Brooklyn Brings Humanity to the Legal Process

A human exchange over a cup of coffee can go a long way towards bringing humanity to a sometimes alienating experience.
Where Justice Meets the Arts

A source of beauty and hope and an instrument of change, art holds a mirror up to our society, casting light on injustice while bringing a better world into view. Take a look at some artwork and murals that our teams have recently brought to life to build community, encourage healing, and make justice a reality.
Looking Back on 10 Years of Justice in Brooklyn

10 fun facts, stories, and reflections from 10 years of Brooklyn Justice Initiatives.

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Partners

Brooklyn Justice Initiatives is a unique collaboration involving the New York State Court System, the Mayor’s Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator, Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn Defenders, Legal Aid Society, Criminal Justice Agency, Robin Hood Foundation, the Probitas Foundation, and the Center for Justice Innovation.

Related Areas of Focus

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