Why Supporting Families Is Crucial to Strong Communities
For many families, contact with the legal system comes after years of struggling to meet basic needs. When we invest in solutions that respond to those needs both inside and outside of the courts, we pave the way for safer, stronger communities.
Breaking the Cycle: Prioritizing Mental Health Needs in the Courtroom
Many people with mental health challenges wind up in the criminal legal system because they have virtually nowhere else to go. Take a look inside the special court program in Manhattan working to change that.
How We’re Empowering Survivors of Human Trafficking to Become Leaders in Their Communities
This Human Trafficking Prevention Month, learn how we’re supporting survivors of human trafficking in healing from traumatic experiences and becoming leaders and advocates in their own communities.
“Miracle on 54th Street”: Judge Rowan D. Wilson on the Midtown Community Justice Center
"The theme that runs through every part of Midtown's story is that it has always put compassion for the people and community it serves at the forefront." A speech from New York Chief Judge Rowan D. Wilson at the 30th anniversary celebration of our Midtown Community Justice Center.
Innovation and Tradition: A Conversation with Our Tribal Justice Exchange Team
A Q&A with our Tribal Justice Exchange team on respecting tribal sovereignty, the cultural wisdom behind tribal justice, and what they're doing to uplift Native youth.
Midtown Community Court Celebrates 30 Years of Justice in NYC with Renaming to the “Midtown Community Justice Center”
This name change to Midtown Community Justice Center reflects the institution's holistic and community-based approach to delivering justice to New Yorkers.
2023 marks the 30th anniversary of our Midtown Community Court, which started as an experiment in a new, more human approach to justice. Today, that approach hasn’t just survived: it has even outgrown the walls of the courthouse.
“Hiding in Plain Sight”: The Untapped Power of Public Defense
Sixty years after Gideon v. Wainwright, in which the Supreme Court ruled that anyone facing the threat of incarceration is entitled to a lawyer regardless of their ability to pay, the right to counsel remains an unfulfilled promise for many. What would change if everyone, no matter their income, got the minimum that all people deserve: someone with the time, resources, and training to defend them effectively in court?
The Human Cost: Five Podcast Episodes on Rikers Island
With the launch of the Lippman Commission 2.0, New York City has taken a decisive step towards closing Rikers Island. Much is at stake, first and foremost the lives of the people detained in the jail complex. In these five episodes of our New Thinking podcast, we take a closer look at the human cost of Rikers through the testimony of advocates, researchers, and—most importantly—those who have experienced the harms of Rikers Island firsthand.
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.
