For the Media

Rockefeller Drug Law reforms drove problem-solving court enrollment, new report finds

Queens Daily Eagle

Enrollment in treatment courts as an alternative to incarceration has drastically increased since New York’s landmark drug sentencing reforms in 2009, according to new research by the Data Collaborative for Justice and the Center for Justice Innovation. While the report found little evidence that the reforms directly fueled the decline in arrests and incarceration, they coincided with a broad shift towards treatment-based responses to drug offenses in courts across New York.

Inside Literary Prize, First Major Book Award Determined by Incarcerated Judges, Announces 2026 Shortlist

People

The Inside Literary Prize—the first major U.S. book award judged by incarcerated people—has announced its 2026 shortlist, which includes five National Book Award-honored titles. Launched in 2023 by Freedom Reads, the Center for Justice Innovation, the National Book Foundation, and bookstore owner Lori Feathers, the Prize celebrates and uplifts the voices of readers in prison. As our CEO Courtney Bryan told People Magazine, the Inside Literary Prize “builds empathy and connection beyond the prison walls.”

Will Mamdani hit his target on gun violence prevention?

Amsterdam News

In neighborhoods hit hardest by gun violence, violence interrupters with New York City’s Crisis Management System have been preventing shootings and retaliations for decades. Now, these groups could get a boost under Mayor Mamdani’s proposed plan to invest in community-driven public safety initiatives. In Amsterdam News, hear from Anthony Rowe—Project Director of our Neighbors in Action program—on the critical role violence interrupters play.

Mobile care van brings services to Brooklyn residents on pretrial supervised release

CBS News

People struggling to access services and meet their court requirements in South Brooklyn can now find support from a mobile care van we launched in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. “These are individuals who are parents, community members who have a variety of obligations outside of the court system. And we allow them to be able to maintain that," said Director of Community Initiatives Curtis Huggins.

Second chance on wheels: Community Care van in East New York helps residents impacted by justice system

News12

A new community care van brings support and services directly to people impacted by the justice system in hard-to-reach areas of Southeast Brooklyn. A partnership between the Center for Justice Innovation and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the initiative works to increase access to justice for people awaiting trial in NYC’s Supervised Release Program.

Mobile overdose response and outreach van launches

News12

Stocked with overdose prevention kits and staffed by peers with lived experience, our Bronx HOPE’s new mobile outreach van brings support directly to people at risk of overdose. The van increases access to resources by meeting people where they’re at, both out in the community and in local police precincts.

Mobile Overdose Response Van Launches in the Bronx

The Riverdale Press

Bronx Community Solutions' new mobile outreach van brings overdose prevention services, life-saving resources, and compassionate support directly to people struggling with substance use across the borough. “What we’re saying is, ‘You matter as a human being,’” Senior Program Manager Magaly Melendez told the Riverdale Press.

A Loss of Faith in Forced Drug Treatment

The New York Times

"The question of mandated versus voluntary treatment is a distraction from the primary issue: There are simply not enough high-quality treatment slots for the number of New Yorkers who need them," writes our CEO Courtney Bryan in a letter to the editor of the New York Times, responding to a guest essay by Keith Humphreys about substance use and addiction treatment.

Restorative Justice Program Launched in Brooklyn

BKReader

A new pilot program in Brooklyn brings people together to learn how to use restorative justice in their own communities and strengthen their relationships with their neighbors. The initiative, launched by Council Member Susan Zhuang in partnership with the Center for Justice Innovation, will help bring restorative approaches to residents of Bensonhurst and surrounding areas.

PUNCH Will Offer Post-Show Conversations Following Select Performances

Broadway World

Based on a true story, “Punch” on Broadway offers a close-up look at restorative justice—an alternative approach to responding to harm and conflict that brings people on all sides of an incident into meaningful dialogue. At post-show discussions offered by the Manhattan Theatre Club, you can hear from people with firsthand experience, advocates, and experts on restorative justice, including speakers from the Center for Justice Innovation.

New Men Rising initiative trains gun violence interrupters on tackling domestic violence

Bronx Times

The Men Rising Initiative, recently launched by our RISE project, mobilizes men leading gun violence prevention work in New York City to take a stand against gender-based violence. At a launch event for the initiative, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams said, “I’m glad that we’re stepping in and saying that our Black and Brown girls, women, and gender-expansive people are worth protecting.”

People leaving prison can struggle to find housing. Montgomery County aims to tackle the issue

WYSO

To better address the housing needs of people returning from incarceration, Ohio’s Montgomery County has joined the Housing Justice Peer Network program, a partnership between NYU’s Housing Solutions Lab and the Center for Justice Innovation. The program will help communities across the country learn from each other’s efforts to break cycles of housing insecurity and justice involvement.

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