Engaging Community

Justice Center Senior Staff and Judge Alex Calabrese addressed our Community Advisory Board during our bi-annual meeting today. Our Community Advisory Board is a mix of individuals from law enforcement, government, arts and community organizations, religious institutions, education, the business community, and concerned residents. The Community Advisory Board is one of the many ways we engage our local community to ensure we remain responsive to their needs. This approach is a key principle of Community Justice and was an approach that was used from the very beginning of the planning process for the Justice Center and greatly informed the design, programs and service we currently have. These meetings are a great way for active residents and community partners to learn about new updates at the Justice Center and express their concerns. It also provides a venue where residents, court staff and law enforcement can directly interact to address common community public safety issues. A great example of Community Justice in action was at the close of the meeting. A representative from a local church was concerned about a run-down lot next to one of their properties that was turning into a rowdy hang-out spot at night. She was able to speak directly to the Captain of her precinct, who was also present, to report the issue. This let her know that her court and law enforcement care about this issue, understand how it is a concern for the neighborhood and will correctly address it.

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Supporting the Staten Island Youth Justice Center at "Inside/Outside Legislative Theatre" Performance

On June 4th, a group of the Red Hook Youth Court members and staff went to see the "Theater of the Oppressed NYC" performance at the New School. Before attending this event, the youth court members had no idea that anything like this went on! While there, we learned that 12 different legislative laws were changed through something called "Legislative Theatre." The audience members get to be "spect-actors," which is great because the actual audience members got to participate in the play themselves and share their ideas. The performances last night were put on by members of the Staten Island Youth Justice Center (part of the Center for Court Innovation Family). These two plays dealt with real life issues such as getting stopped for not paying your bus fare, arriving late to school and getting sent to the principal's office because of the "zero tolerance policy," getting into fights at school, not knowing one's rights, and being raciall...

Peacemaking in Red Hook

Raymond Deal, Traditional Program Specialist, Shiprock District Court, Navajo Nation and Gloria Benally, Program Coordinator, Navajo Nation, train future Red Hook Peacemakers After an intensely trying period in Red Hook in the weeks following Hurricane Sandy, building, strenghtening, and healing relationships between residents and organizations has become crucial. This past weekend, we took a step towards preparing the neighborhood for the hard work ahead with a two-day workshop with peacemakers from the Navajo Nation for residents we are training to serve as peacemakers here in Red Hook. A new project from the Center for Court Innovation's Tribal Justice Exchange , peacemaking is a traditional Native American approach to justice. While the exact form peacemaking takes varies among tribes, it usually consists of one or more peacemakers—often community elders—who gently guide a conversation involving not only those directly involved in an offense or conflict but family ...

Rent, Repairs, and Rights: A Guide to Housing Court for NYCHA Tenants

Lillian Marshall, Tenant Association President of Red Hook West (left) and Naureen Rashid, Director of Court Operations Dorothy Shields, Tenant Association President of Red Hook East (Left) and Naureen Rashid, Director of Court Operations Hon. Alex Calabrese, Presiding Judge of the Red Hook Community Justice Center Graphic Designer Jenny Kutnow Clara Amenyo from the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP)

Red Hook Justice - Your Community. Your Court.

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