Community Court

"Problem- solving courts" seize low-level criminal offenders’ interactions with the justice system as moments of opportunity to address their underlying problems, thereby serving the interests of justice as well as the needs of the community.

With the support of Essex County Assignment Judge Patricia Costello and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, the Institute has been working to bring a community justice model developed by The Center for Court Innovation (CCI) to Newark. This model is widely regarded as an effective way to reduce recidivism by better addressing the underlying problems that result in crime, and promote public faith in the justice system. Under a community court system, judges have direct access to local service providers, allowing them to impose appropriate alternative sanctions instead of fines or imprisonment. Social services and community service projects are linked to the municipal court to combat the unemployment, drug use, mental illness, and neighborhood disorder that undermine a city's quality of life. Community courts elsewhere – in places like Red Hook Brooklyn, Manhattan, The Bronx, and dozens of other cities across the country – have been proven effective, and the Institute is optimistic that a Newark Community Court can meet with similar success.

Collaborating closely with CCI, the City of Newark’s Municipal Court, Law Department, Office of the Public Defender and the Essex Vicinage Probation Division, the Institute has been hard at work adapting the community court model to Newark’s specific needs and constraints. A final report on feasibility and design has been completed and provides a comprehensive plan for transforming the Newark Municipal Court into a community court. The Institute’s contribution to the planning includes the coordination of a community engagement process, holding eighteen community forums, three focus groups, judge interviews, and a trip with local community leaders to a functioning community court in Brooklyn. The Institute has also begun identifying potential referral partners and developing their relationships with the court. As the Institute continues to iron out the logistical details of this plan, we are grateful for the feedback and ongoing engagement of Newark residents and community leaders.

This initiative was successful due to the implementation of Community Forums at the beginning of the process. To learn more click here.

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