Exploring key milestones over three decades of building strong communities rooted in safety and justice.
The Center for Justice Innovation has a history of firsts.
The first community court in the nation. The first drug court. The first domestic violence court. The first violence interruption program in New York City. The first felony alternative-to-incarceration court.
All of these firsts were established with the same goal in mind: To reduce incarceration and help people access fundamental needs – housing, job training, mental health support, education.
Many of these trailblazing solutions have been replicated across the country, often supported by the research and expert assistance from the Center, weaving progress into the fabric of the justice system to support safe, resilient communities.
This work is only possible with the collaboration of incredible partners, including the New York Unified Court System, government leaders, community-based organizations, local businesses, and the countless changemakers, participants, and community members who are committed to changing the status quo of crime and violence.
In honor of the Center for Justice Innovation’s 30th anniversary, you can explore some key milestones and highlights of our remarkable history on this digital timeline.
Together, we have moved the needle. In 1996, the jail population in New York City was 18,300. Today, in 2026, it stands at 6,500.
Thirty years later, the Center continues to be an engine of innovation. In Midtown, where our story first began, we are reimagining what a courthouse can look like by renovating and transforming holding cells into community space. We helped to launch the first book award judged exclusively by people in prison. In the Bronx and Brooklyn, young people are learning valuable skills to launch businesses and create economic opportunity in fashion design and digital music production.
The Center for Justice Innovation is as expansive in our work as it is focused on one shared goal: bringing everyone to the table to build safe and strong communities.