Working Across the U.S. to Improve Justice

Here is a taste of some of our recent national work:

In Lucas County, Ohio, we are helping divert individuals from the justice system. In February, Toledo’s mayor highlighted the “cutting-edge diversion program” in his State of the City address. The model, which builds on our work in New York developing short-term jail alternatives, is supported by the MacArthur Foundation.

In upstate New York, we are helping the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, the state court system, and the Town of Bombay create a groundbreaking program that will allow Native American arrestees with pending cases to remain in the community under supervision rather than spend time in jail because of an inability to pay bail. This is the country’s first supervised release collaboration between tribal and state courts.

In Connecticut, we are promoting the use of problem-solving and jail reduction strategies among prosecutors through a collaboration with the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services and the Chief State's Attorney's Office. The effort, supported by the Herbert and Nell Singer Foundation, includes pilot-testing units within prosecutor’s offices to screen individuals before they're charged—either diverting cases from the justice system or resolving them more quickly. The initiative uses court-based counselors to link defendants with voluntary and mandated programming.

In Boise, Idaho, and Dallas, Texas, we are helping domestic violence courts serve as inspirations for reformers in the field. The courts in Boise and Dallas are two of 14 courts across the U.S. selected by the Office on Violence Against Women as mentors for communities interested in enhancing their responses to domestic violence.

This is just a sample of the reform work we are engaged in. Contact us to find out more or to request assistance.