Procedural Justice

Procedural justice seeks to ensure that the justice system treats everybody with dignity and respect.

Research has shown that when court users perceive the justice system to be fair, they are more likely to comply with court orders and follow the law in the future—regardless of the outcome of their case. Researchers such as Tom Tyler of Yale Law School have boiled down procedural justice to a handful of key elements: treating court users with dignity and respect, ensuring that they understand the process, that they have a voice, and that decisions are made neutrally. The Center for Court Innovation works to promote procedural justice in the U.S. and internationally. In addition to testing promising practices on the ground in our operating programs, we offer training and expert assistance to jurisdictions interested in assessing or enhancing their procedural justice practices.

Initiatives

Harlem Community Justice Center

The Harlem Community Justice Center is a neighborhood-based community court committed to bridging the gap between the court and community to achieve fairness and systematic equity in housing, commu
MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge

The MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge seeks to reduce over-incarceration by changing the way America thinks about and uses jails.
Red Hook Community Justice Center

The nation's first multi-jurisdictional community court, the Red Hook Community Justice Center seeks to solve neighborhood problems in southwest Brooklyn.

Publications & Digital Media

Book
To Be Fair

by Emily Gold LaGratta and Tom Tyler

To Be Fair is a compilation of interviews with practitioners from around the country who have worked to implement the tenets of procedural justice in criminal courts.

Procedural Justice
Publication
How Video Changes the Conversation: Social Science Research on Communication Over Video and Implications for the Criminal Courtroom

by Lisa Bailey Vavonese, Elizabeth Ling, Rosalie Joy, and Samantha Kobor

The COVID-19 pandemic forced courts across the country to close their physical doors and rely exclusively on video conferencing technology. A scan of social science research shows that communicating over video can alter an interaction, making it more difficult for participants to understand each other, speak up, and relate to each other. This paper presents social science research to inform the long-term debate about video’s role when courts can safely reopen.

Access to Justice, Procedural Justice
Publication
Evaluating Probation Reform in New York City

by Lama Hassoun Ayoub, Jennifer A. Tallon, Sarah Picard, and Cassandra Ramdath

Punishments for violating the terms of probation are a major driver of prison and jail populations across the country. Calls for meaningful reform are growing. This study examines the impact of New York City’s early efforts to shift to a more client-centered approach to probation, including improved case management and establishing neighborhood-oriented probation offices.

Procedural Justice, Reentry

See All Publications and Digital Media →

News

A Test of What Society Considers Morally Unacceptable

November 10, 2021
The New York Times

Written by Judge Jonathan Lippmann, this opinion piece details some of the crises happening on Rikers Island and practical steps that could be taken to address them. With links to our Bail Reform at One Year report & our Closing Rikers Roadmap, the recommendations outlined would not only advance safety, fairness, and justice, but also reduce the jail population by at least 2,000 people.
What Responsibility do Courts Bear for the Crisis at Rikers Island?

October 9, 2021
The New Yorker

Eric Lach for the New Yorker spends time in the courtroom at arraignment to understand some of the factors fueling the current crisis on Rikers Island. The article cites our research that identified a 2020 spike in judges setting bail and explores the alternatives that judges have to bail--like someone being released on their own recognizance or supervised release.

View Archive →

We work with reformers around the world.

Do you need help solving a problem, launching a new initiative or improving an old one? Contact our experts.

Contact Our Experts →

Initiatives

Publications & Digital Media

News

We work with reformers around the world.

The future depends on justice.