A New Way to Handle Arrests

The Center for Court Innovation is committed to reducing the negative impacts of justice-system involvement and creating alternatives to court that help repair the relationship between the community and law enforcement. One example of our efforts is Project Reset, which provides a new way to handle arrests for low-level crimes that holds participants accountable while avoiding the collateral consequences of a possible conviction.

We recently showcased the work of Project Reset at a forum that brought together a group of teenagers, community members, and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. The teens had completed Project Reset by participating in a workshop at Gavin Brown's Enterprise, an art gallery in Harlem.

"I learned that I need to really act my age and not fall into peer pressure,” said an 18-year-old from Queens. “I learned how to make smarter decisions. To think about the future and how things that you do now can affect you,” said a 17-year-old from the Bronx.

Begun as a pilot project for 16- and 17-year-olds arrested in a select number of precincts in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Project Reset is now expanding Manhattan-wide to cover all ages.

Another example of our efforts to support diversion is our recent study of prosecutor-led diversion programs across the country, which we conducted in collaboration with the Rand Corporation, the Police Foundation, and the Association of Prosecution Attorneys. The study found significant reductions in the probability of a conviction, jail sentence, and future re-arrest, along with sizable savings in costs and resources.

Contact us to learn more about diversion.