Press Release | Leading Justice Reform Organization Changes its Name: Center for Court Innovation Becomes Center for Justice Innovation

Media Contact: press@innovatingjustice.org 

January 17, 2023

NEW YORK, N.Y.—The Center for Court Innovation, an organization at the vanguard of the justice reform movement for over 25 years, is changing its name to the Center for Justice Innovation. 

Founded in 1996 as the independent research and development arm of the New York State Unified Court System, the Center for Justice Innovation is today an international leader for making the justice system fair, effective, and humane. The Center’s work starts in the community, where it focuses on crime prevention, economic development and giving communities the resources and support to advocate for programs that enhance safety and opportunity. The Center also works in the criminal and civil justice systems, conducting research and creating programs to improve outcomes for victims, communities, and those who find themselves involved in the legal system.  

The Center’s works with partners at every step of the justice process—including community-based groups, prosecutors’ and defenders’ offices, victim advocacy agencies, probation and parole departments, and court systems—to enhance safety and eliminate the unnecessary use of incarceration and the unintended harms of justice system involvement.  

“The Center has evolved from a focus on courts to a focus on the entire justice system and the communities the system serves,” said Center Executive Director Courtney Bryan. “Our new name reflects our belief that true justice is a continuum that starts in the community long before anyone ends up in court. Economic development and empowering communities to increase safety is as important to us as diverting cases from the system and providing services and support to individuals and families who find themselves in court.”   

Center Board Chair Victoria Pratt said: “As the Chief Judge of the Newark Municipal Court, I understood that people brought before me have families, communities, and challenges, and I did my best to resolve cases that addressed the whole person. In this spirit, the adoption of “justice” in our name signals that the Center is taking the same approach—pursuing meaningful justice by looking at communities and the justice system holistically. And while our name is changing, our values and our goals of creating a fair and humane justice system remain the same.”  

Acting Chief Administrative Judge Tamiko Amaker said on behalf of Acting Chief Judge Anthony Cannataro and herself: “Justice does not begin or end in the courtroom, and now more than ever we need to view the criminal justice system as a continuum supporting and addressing the needs of individuals before, during and after a court appearance. The Center has been a world leader in the delivery of innovative programming and justice services at every stage of the justice process. This new name better reflects its mission and program delivery.” 

“For over 25 years, the Center for Court Innovation has been a vital force for change and at the forefront of the national conversation on justice reform,” said First Deputy Mayor of the City of New York Sheena Wright. “This significant name change to the Center for Justice Innovation reaffirms their commitment to prioritizing holistic reform and building towards a more nuanced vision of justice. I applaud the Center for their continued pledge to grow and evolve as an organization and look forward to our continued shared work in building a more humane justice system for all.” 

Over the years, the Center has grown from a small group of planners to an organization with a $90 million annual budget and over 725 employees who staff dozens of initiatives in New York, New Jersey, and California, advise practitioners and policymakers across the country and around the world, and conduct research and share their expertise in a wide range of areas, from bail reform to economic justice, eviction prevention to youth development, alternatives to incarceration to restorative justice, violence prevention to participatory research. The Center for Justice Innovation provides a unique role in justice reform by bridging the gap between communities and systems, providing expert assistance to justice practitioners while empowering communities to define and achieve safety on their own terms.