New Approaches to Transforming the Justice System: Origins and Strategy of a Collaborative Initiative between a District Attorney’s Office and a Public University Institute

• In Event: Transforming the Justice System: A Collaborative Approach to Improve Public Safety and Increase Fairness and Efficiency

Abstract

This paper describes a collaboration between The District Attorney of New York County (DANY) and the City University of New York’s Institute for State and Local Governance (CUNY ISLG) to improve public safety, develop broad crime prevention efforts, and promote a fairer, more efficient justice system. DANY established the Criminal Justice Investment Initiative in 2014 to invest approximately $250 million of criminal asset forfeiture funds to accomplish these goals, and selected CUNY ISLG through a competitive bidding process to manage the initiative. The initiative spans four focus areas, including youth, family, and communities; justice response for young adults; diversion and reentry support; and victims of crime. This paper presents the origins of the initiative and outlines the process of implementation, from strategic planning to funding decisions. It discusses how such an approach can be collectively beneficial and serve as a model for similar initiatives nationwide. Such a collaboration offers contributes to safer and more just communities for the public; greater access to scarce resources for practitioners; and an expanded evidence base for policy-makers. Yet, the approach also includes possible challenges which must be negotiated in order to maintain institutional integrity for both DANY and ISLG.

Authors

• Siobhán Carney, City University of New York, Institute for State and Local Governance

• Michael Jacobson, CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance