The Center for Justice Innovation, formerly known as the Center for Court Innovation, works with communities and justice systems to advance equity, increase safety and help individuals and communities thrive. Restorative justice is a proven practice for resolving conflicts between people who are harmed. Due to enormous demand, the Center for Justice Innovation will expand its Circles for Safe Streets program in Brooklyn that offers a restorative justice intervention in car crash cases that result in a serious injury or fatality. In addition to restorative justice and professional development training, facilitators of these sessions will be trained how to respond to participants’ grief. Because of the current program’s success, which handles misdemeanor (lower-level offense) cases, the NYC district attorney has committed to refer some felony cases to a pilot alternative-to-incarceration restorative justice program.

Center for Justice Innovation is dedicated to creating effective, humane justice systems. Its work includes the creation of Project Reset, a diversion program for people charged with minor offenses. The program operates in four NYC boroughs, including Brooklyn. This funding will support Project Reset in Staten Island, which launched remotely in May 2020. It will also support the planning and launch of three new initiatives: a restorative justice program in Manhattan and Queens for homicide cases (the first in the nation); a program to address vehicular offenses that result in serious injury or death; and training for Bronx community members as restorative justice peacemakers in cases of interpersonal violence.

Center for Justice Innovation is dedicated to creating effective, humane justice systems by designing and implementing community and court-based programs, performing research and helping reformers. Its work includes the creation of Project Reset, a diversion program anchored around mending the relationship between police and communities of color. Project Reset allows individuals to give to back the community for their offense while avoiding the potential negative consequences of a court appearance and conventional case processing. This grant supports the expansion of Project Reset to Brooklyn. Through this expansion, Project Reset services will be offered borough-wide as a constructive alternative to incarceration for minor offenders at the point of arrest.