A brief assessment tool designed for high-volume criminal justice environments is a strong predictor of recidivism as administered to pretrial defendants in New York City, according to this comprehensive validation study. Unlike many such tools, the Criminal Court Assessment Tool, developed by the Center for Court Innovation, identifies a defendant's risk of re-offending and also ascertains the needs potentially fueling criminal behavior, facilitating referrals to effective interventions.
Written by Greg Berman, director of the Center for Court Innovation, and Julian Adler, director of policy and research, Start Here from the New Press offers a road map of concrete actions to reduce the number of people sent to jail and prison, highlighting key lessons from successful programs across the country.
On our New Thinking podcast, the Oakland-based architect explains her firm’s mission to use design to counter incarceration and promote the use of restorative justice. She also discusses her work on our Near Westside Peacemaking Center in Syracuse, N.Y.
This study examines 16 programs seeking to divert cases out of the criminal justice system finding significant reductions in the probability of a conviction, jail sentence, and future re-arrest, along with sizable savings in costs and resources.
This video provides a short and engaging introduction to Youth Reset (part of Project Reset), our program providing meaningful diversion opportunities for 16- and 17-year-olds in New York City arrested for the first time for a low-level, non-violent crime. Successful participants will never set foot in a courtroom and will have no criminal record. The video explains the requirements of the program, the opportunity to be connected with voluntary services, and the criteria for eligibility.
In April 2017, the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform (also known as the Lippman Commission) unveiled its vision for closing the Rikers Island jail facility, including a series of reforms to cut the city's jail population in half in coming years. This video offers highlights of a panel discussion among members of the commission's staff who explain how the 27 members of the commission developed their groundbreaking recommendations.
This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Youth Justice Board, a youth leadership program that gives teenagers an opportunity to inform public debate about issues that affect them. During the 2016-17 school year, members examined the intersection between youth homelessness and the justice system in New York City in order to identify opportunities to better support homeless youth, reduce their interactions with the justice system, and prevent homelessness in the future.
New York City's incarceration rates have been dropping steadily, but a new report from the Center for Court Innovation, in collaboration with the Vera Institute of Justice, suggests the city’s jail population can still be brought significantly lower. The report looks in detail at key decision-points along the path from arrest through bail to sentencing making concrete suggestions for how to improve the system, especially for those defendants detained awaiting trial.
