For many proponents of the use of pretrial risk assessments, the hope is they provide an evidence-based counter to racial bias in the criminal justice system. However, as has become apparent with the more widespread adoption of the tools, they can also end up reproducing the very racial bias they were intended to disrupt. This paper grapples with the question of whether it is possible to address the problematic aspects of risk technologies without abandoning their use.
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reintegration Program provides intensive case management and reentry services to tribal members returning to the community from incarceration. The program provides financial assistance for basic needs such as housing, clothing, and groceries, and offers long-term support through educational, vocational, and legal services.
To Be Fair is a compilation of interviews with practitioners from around the country who have worked to implement the tenets of procedural justice in criminal courts.
This paper explains the science underlying risk-based decision-making and explores both the promise and controversies associated with the increasing application of “big data” to the field of criminal justice.
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.
This report lays out a series of reforms to significantly reduce New York City's jail population, a move that would also cut costs substantially. To identify ways to safely reduce the use of jail, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice commissioned research on the path of criminal cases from arrest through bail decisions to sentencing.
To identify ways to safely reduce the use of jail, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice commissioned research on the path from arrest through bail to sentencing. The research also examined how much taxpayers spend on incarceration.
Poverty Justice Solutions fellows sat down with New York City Housing Court Supervising Judge Jean Schneider for a roundtable discussion on changes underway in housing court. Judge Schneider commented on the growing number of tenants with legal representation, as well as the importance of procedural reforms for promoting access to justice.
Aimed at statewide problem-solving court systems, this fact sheet addresses the importance of strategic planning for goals such as the creation of performance standards, the efficient allocation of resources, and the development of statewide training programs. It also outlines how the Center for Court Innovation’s guided strategic planning process can help strengthen problem-solving court operations.
