NYU Furman Center’s Post

In honor of this quarter's theme of resilience, Public Works Partners Analyst Ilan Ackelsberg did a deep dive on Restorative Justice (RJ) to explore opportunities for resilience in the criminal justice system. RJ is an approach to justice that focuses on repair instead of punishment. Since the murder of George Floyd over four years ago, RJ has become an increasingly popular tool to address past harms inflicted by the traditional justice system. But recent criticism of the movement from both sides of the aisle has called its future into question. How can we overcome these obstacles and build a more “just” version of restorative justice? What are RJ’s opportunities and limits and how can we maximize its positive impact on communities? Click the link below to check out Ilan’s article and learn all about RJ and its future! https://lnkd.in/gKnqr6Hh

🔍 The journey from "nothing works" to embracing Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) in corrections has been significant. But is it enough? Dr Frank Porporino, Ph.D.'s article in the 12th edition of JUSTICE TRENDS explores this topic, highlighting that while EBPs have structured our efforts, they often fall short in creating a truly rehabilitative experience.🌱 ✅ It's time to go beyond checklists and techniques—considering the social, interpersonal, and environmental factors that can truly support change. 👇Read the full article to learn more about creating correctional environments that not only manage risk but actively foster desistance and personal growth: https://loom.ly/A7ojNhU

With Pell and TAP funding now available for students in prison, there's huge potential for meaningful college-in-prison programs in New York. But the challenges of creating and sustaining these programs are many, with education and corrections stakeholders facing operational, logistical, analytical, and other challenges. The past seven years, we’ve been a partner to education providers & corrections staff across the state as part of the College-in-Prison (CIP) Reentry Initiative. While working toward the goals of 🎓enrolling more students, 📚offering more courses, 📑aligning processes across prisons, and 🤝strengthening reentry support, we’ve compiled a trove of information on the successes and challenges learned in creating and implementing college in prison. The next few years will be critical for laying the groundwork for expanding education and employment opportunities for people in prison. From our work, we offer recommendations: https://bit.ly/3OsN593

🌟 Excited to see this important Op-Ed from SPI alum & Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB) Executive Director Amber-Rose Howard and Assemblymember Phil Ting. In light of California's monumental budget deficit, this article sheds light on the critical need to reduce excess prison capacity. Every dollar spent on unnecessary prison capacity is a dollar diverted away from vital resources like housing, healthcare, jobs, and community infrastructure – the very pillars that ensure safety and well-being. Share this article and let's prioritize investments that truly make a difference! #YesOnAB2178 #AB2178

It’s really not baffling that there has been so much push back against harm reduction, however Criminal Justice reform seems to be taking quit a huge take off. By refusing to focus on preventive measures we take away from focusing on the actual solution. This recovery oriented approach doesn’t bring billions of dollars to privatization of correctional services, kind of sad we are still focused on the money and not the people. The war on drugs has never been anything but criminalizing poverty, and legalizing racial profiling. It worked out exactly the way it was intended for. Washington is full of advocates pushing for criminal justice reform, and even those in power are backing this movement. You have to stop and ask why? All the while behind closed doors pushing back the efforts preventing individuals accessibility to the means to stop them from ending up in the correctional systems in the first place. I am truly no conspiracy theorist, however it’s hard to watch this unfold. Now are not only profiling poverty but we are criminalizing the mentally ill. All in a days work.

As we continue to push for the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, we must also recognize the necessity of shifting away from incarcerating children –  which is ineffective, costly, and traumatizing – and embrace proven, community-based models of rehabilitation that strengthen public safety, allow youth to take accountability for the harm they caused and work to repair it, and give young people the support they need to grow and thrive.   https://lnkd.in/gCEaTQF4

The LA Times agrees with us that criminal justice reform and public safety go hand in hand. Voters want to feel safe, and of course that includes accountability, but it also includes investing in housing, jobs, reentry services, and second-chance policies. These solutions empower individuals to break the cycle of poverty and crime, and help them become valued members of the community. AND stay tuned this week for more content exploring exactly why justice reform IS public safety. #JusticeReform #SharedSafety #ARC #JusticeReformIsPublicSafety

Check out PPIC's newest CJ report!

"Placing children as young as 10 in prison is not a solution. Instead, we need to have support services that are compassionate, adequately resourced, and trauma-informed.” Claire Robbs, Chief Executive. Life Without Barriers is deeply concerned by the Northern Territory Government’s decision to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10 years. We are strong advocates, along with leaders in the legal, medical, education, community, and health fields who all urge the Northern Territory Government to change course for the future. We firmly believe the minimum age of criminal responsibility should be 14 across all Australian jurisdictions and will continue to advocate for decision makers to pass laws and decision policies and solutions that promote the positive futures of children, not ones that cause irrevocable harm. https://ow.ly/pivz50TReUy ID: A young boy stands against a wooden wall, looking at the camera. #RaiseTheAge #NorthernTerritory #ChildProtection #YouthJustice #CriminalResponsibility

The Changing Landscape of Juvenile Detention: A Post-Pandemic Reality The post-pandemic environment has reshaped juvenile detention in profound ways. Youth are no longer cycling in and out of detention in 21 days; instead, many are staying for months, and in some cases, even years. This reality brings a critical obligation for leaders to step up and view this as an opportunity—not simply to detain but to serve as a bridge to meaningful support, fostering the best outcomes and future orientation for these young individuals. When youth touch the system, it is our duty to assess their needs holistically, ensuring that their experience is rare, fair, and ultimately beneficial. We can no longer be satisfied with traditional detention where our only focus is waiting until the next court date. In today’s society, where racial and ethnic disparities remain pervasive, failing to adopt this approach is a disservice to the field, the youth, and their communities. Youth are not “at risk”; they are “at promise.” With extended stays, the importance of trauma-informed care and treatment cannot be overstated. Many youth arrive with a history of trauma that influences their behavior and well-being. A trauma-informed approach not only supports healing but also builds resilience, helping young people find healthy ways to cope and thrive. Their needs guide us in making necessary mid-course corrections, embracing trial and error to propel juvenile justice reform forward. Let’s commit to being part of a system that not only holds youth accountable but also builds them up, addressing the complex factors in their lives so that their future holds more promise than their past. We must serve them fully, with the understanding that we are shaping lives, not just waiting for the next court date. Willie Fullilove Mark Hamlett Lashaun Jones Dontá Smith Keisha Isaacs Antonia Reason Carol Cramer Brooks Lester Young Richard Gentry Douglas White, M.A. Deon Ruben Indu Tyson-Wilson, MA Quiotis Fletcher, M.S, M.A #JuvenileJusticeReform #TraumaInformedCare #FutureLeaders #YouthDevelopment #JusticeForAll #YouthEmpowerment #RethinkDetention #BreakingTheCycle #RestorativeJustice #PositiveYouthDevelopment #HopeAndHealing