Midtown Community Court

Midtown Community Court hands out supplies during COVID-19

The Midtown Community Court is one of the country's first problem-solving courts. It provides alternatives to fines and jail as a response to low-level crime.

Seeking to reduce crime and incarceration and increase public trust in justice, the Midtown Community Court works with neighborhood stakeholders to improve Midtown Manhattan. The court responds creatively to low-level offending, seeking sentences that are restorative to the victim, defendant, and community. The court’s onsite social services clinic and fatherhood and workforce development program are open to everyone—court participants as well as community members. An independent evaluation documented reductions in both crime and the use of jail in the area covered by the court.

More About the Program →

Connect with Us

Ask a Question or Get Help

314 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
United States

See Location →

Highlights

  • Project Reset

    Project Reset is a diversion program offering a new response to a low-level arrest that is proportionate, effective, and restorative.

Our Impact

  • 9,627 cases handled at the Court in 2018

  • $1.2M estimated annual savings to the justice system primarily due to the reduced use of jail

  • 1M+ Defendants have performed more than 1 million hours of community service since the Court's founding

Corey Johnson
When I visited Midtown Community Court, I was really amazed by the programs and the excellent results. People were given real assistance that helped divert them from the criminal justice system, which is exactly what we want.
Corey Johnson New York City Council Speaker

Photo Gallery

MCC staff
Twenty-Five Years Young

Midtown Community Court staff, including Judge Charlotte Davidson (far right), gather outside the courthouse as part of the festivities marking the Court's first quarter-century of operations.

Police Community Midtown Community Court James Baldwin School
Bringing Police and Community Together

The Midtown Community Court hosts a police-community forum at James Baldwin School.

National Night Out Against Crime, Midtown staff talking to community residents
National Night Out Against Crime

Midtown Community Court staff answer community members' questions during National Night Out Against Crime.

Publications & Digital Media

See All Publications and Digital Media →

News

  • In-Demand Midtown Community Court to Expand Operations by Mid-March

    February 13, 2023
    Chelsea Community News

    Since its founding in 1993, our community court in Midtown has been responding to lower-level, quality-of-life offenses with a community service and treatment-oriented approach. After reduced hours because of the pandemic, Midtown Community Court will again be expanding its capacity by mid-March. The expansion comes after a number of local elected officials called for a plan to enhance the program’s capacity, citing its demonstrated effectiveness at improving public safety and connecting individuals to needed services and support.

  • Shania Roseborough ’22: New York Giants Touchdown Fellowship Unlocks Life-Changing Internship

    April 2, 2022
    John Jay College of Criminal Justice

    John Jay College senior Shania Roseborough is a winner of the 2021-2022 New York Giants Touchdown Fellowship, which supports year-long internships at leading criminal justice organizations. Working with the Center’s Midtown Community Court, Shania is brainstorming different ways to further improve relationships with local communities and community-based organizations and is listening to justice-impacted folks to create new solutions to the system.

View Archive →

Looking to Implement a Program in Your Neighborhood?

Find out more about how we can help you.
Contact Our Experts →

Partners

The Court is operated as a public/private partnership among the New York State Unified Court System, the City of New York and the Center for Justice Innovation. During the Court's pilot period, funding came from a mix of sources, including the federal government, local government and dozens of foundations and corporations. Social service and community service partners include dozens of community-based and government agencies.

Related Areas of Focus

We rely on the generosity of supporters to do the work we do.

Donate →