Dear Friends:

I am saddened to report that Alfred Siegel, the deputy director of the Center for Court Innovation, passed away unexpectedly yesterday evening.

I am at a loss to express how much I respected and admired Alfred. Over the 15 years that I worked with him, I learned that Alfred was an unfailingly modest man who never sought out the spotlight. But his unassuming manner can't hide a fundamental truth: this was a truly great man. He spent his entire career, both in and out of government, working to make the justice system more fair and more humane for the disadvantaged and the downtrodden. He was responsible for overseeing the planning and implementation of many of the Center for Court Innovation's operating projects, including the Harlem Community Justice Center, Bronx Community Solutions, and the Brownsville Community Justice Center. These projects weren't just game changers for our agency — these projects made a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of New Yorkers who were given a chance to avoid life behind bars and get back on their feet. And there's not space enough here to write of his years at the New York City Department of Probation, the Bronx DA's Office, and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, nor of the impact he had as part of Governor David Paterson's Task Force on Transforming New York State's Juvenile Justice System.

I can think of no higher praise than to say that the world is a better place because Alfred was in it. I know that I am a better person for having known him. While I don't know yet how the Center for Court Innovation will function without him, I can tell you that in the days ahead, we are determined to carry forward the values that he stood for — treating all people with respect and dignity and trying to even the playing field on behalf of underdogs everywhere.

Please join me in sending thoughts and prayers to his wife, two sons, and other family members.

Kind regards,

Greg Berman

Alfred Siegel