Problem-Solving Justice

problem-solving
Problem-solving justice seeks to go beyond processing cases to solve the problems that bring people to court.

Problem-solving courts, such as drug and mental health courts, work to engage the community in addressing the underlying conditions that fuel crime. Today, thousands of such courts are testing new approaches to difficult cases where social, human, and legal problems intersect. But along with these individual courts, problem-solving justice is also about taking the approach to scale.

Embedded in centralized courthouses, for example, our Bronx Community Solutions, Brooklyn Justice Initiatives, and Newark Community Solutions each handle thousands of cases per year, offering services and community-based alternatives to jail and fines. Through our work implementing these ambitious projects, we offer a range of customized training and technical assistance plans and publications for jurisdictions interested in applying problem-solving justice principles in centralized courthouses.

Initiatives

  • Bronx Community Solutions

    Bronx Community Solutions provides community-based alternatives to jail, restores community relationships, and helps participants avoid further criminal justice involvement.

  • Brooklyn Justice Initiatives

    Brooklyn Justice Initiatives seeks to improve how the centralized criminal court in Brooklyn responds to misdemeanor and felony cases.

  • Newark Community Solutions

    Newark Community Solutions applies a problem-solving approach to low-level cases in Newark, New Jersey’s municipal courthouse.

Publications & Digital Media

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News

  • The Reasons for Youth Gun Use

    July 7, 2021
    WNYC

    With shootings on the rise, staff from the Center for Court Innovation spoke with Brian Lehrer on WNYC radio about the report "Guns, Safety, and the Edge of Adulthood in New York City" on July 7, 2021. Lehrer interviews Research Director, Rachel Swaner Deputy Research Director Elise White, and community-based Research Coordinator Basaime Spate, about the year-long study into the reasons young people carry guns in NYC.

  • In Redondo Beach, It’s Homeless Court Alfresco — With Love

    June 18, 2021
    The Los Angeles Times

    The Redondo Beach homeless court has its roots in a growing national movement to respond differently to the misdemeanor prosecutions that often send homeless people to jail, and instead make services and long-term support the goal. “While it’s a model with principles and best practices, every jurisdiction is doing this differently to be responsive to community needs,” says our senior program manager, Caitlin Flood of this specialized court.

  • New York City Kicks Off Safe Summer NYC With Anti-gun Violence Fair

    May 7, 2021
    ABC7 NY

    New York City kicked off its Safe Summer NYC program Friday with the first of a series of anti-gun violence resource fairs, this one at the Polo Grounds Towers in Washington Heights. To mitigate the recent uptick in gun violence, the Mayor's Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety is partnering with public housing developments to engage city residents and deter gun violence with increased safety awareness.

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