Institute Intelligence, August 2026: The legacy of the Safety and Justice Challenge; timely events from the Justice Training Institute
By Carla Sinclair, Communications Project Director, and Molly Dektar, Senior Communications Associate
As the summer draws to a close, our thoughts turn towards what we want to accomplish before the end of the year to make our public systems safer, more impactful, and more efficient. This work has never been more important in New York: this week, two people died while in jail custody. We urgently need to rethink our approach.
A key CUNY ISLG project gearing up this fall is the NYC Justice Training Institute, a partnership with the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice that gives community service providers the skills they need to address and ameliorate mental and behavioral health challenges faced by the people they work with. Too often, deaths in jails and prisons—not just in New York City but across the country—stem from undertreated mental health challenges. What's more, improving mental and behavioral health for those in the system can also reduce recidivism and lead to better outcomes for re-entry. In September, we are hosting an event for providers on homelessness, justice, and behavioral health—find details below—as one of many upcoming trainings tackling this neglected and high-impact skill set.
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Defining the legacy and ongoing impact of the Safety and Justice Challenge
For the past 10 years, the Safety and Justice Challenge has helped communities across the United States rethink their criminal legal systems. Through this “Big Bet” from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, more than 60 cities and counties across 36 states developed and implemented locally responsive, data informed strategies that reduced unnecessary jail use. And they did so while keeping communities safe.
Since its inception, CUNY ISLG has served as the primary data and analytic partner for the initiative as well as an intermediary between the SJC jurisdictions, external researchers, and the network at large. Now, we’re supporting the SJC as it enters a new phase. In partnership with the MacArthur Foundation, CUNY ISLG is working to solidify and build on the legacy of this decade-long national effort to rethink the use of local jails and create safer, more just communities. On our blog, we lay out how we’ll be doing it with a refreshed website, a data archive, and a research competition.
Funding for immigration court infrastructure in New York
This August, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced $7.25M for unaccompanied immigrant children to access legal representation in New York.
These minors, who (like everyone in immigration court) do not have guaranteed right to attorney, have just a 15% chance at winning deportation cases without representation. When they work with immigration legal services organization like ICARE Coalition, their chances rise—ICARE's youth have a 90% chance of winning their case.
Last year, we worked with ICARE to strengthen their services through data and infrastructure amid a tumultuous funding and policy landscape. In our op-ed with them this June in The Imprint, ISLG’s Patrick Hart and ICARE’s Sierra Kraft outlined why funding like this new support from New York State means "these children can stay in school, among their support systems, and in pursuit of a happy, healthy life in the communities they now call home."
New webinars from the NYC Justice Training Institute
The NYC Justice Training Institute (JTI) is a resource hub for organizations that serve people with mental and behavioral health needs. Launched in spring 2026 in partnership between the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) and the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG), the JTI is a one-stop shop for trainings, as well as opportunities for organizations to access on-demand, tailored training and technical assistance (TTA).
This September, the JTI is partnering with NYC Health + Hospitals and the New York State Judicial Taskforce on Mental Illness for a webinar that focuses on serving people with behavioral health needs.
Join us on September 30 for a webinar on the Intersection between Homelessness, Justice, and Behavioral Health:
People with behavioral health needs often do not receive the appropriate level of care that they need for a variety of reasons. When untreated or undertreated, this can lead to a cycle of homelessness and repeated contacts with the justice system—which then leads to lower chances of these individuals receiving the proper assistance.
This webinar, co-hosted by the NYC Justice Training Institute and the New York State Judicial Taskforce on Mental Illness, will discuss the specific needs of this population and how cross-sector collaboration is necessary to address them. Participants will learn trauma-informed engagement strategies, and how to best support clients in their reentry journey.
Apply: Professional Development for Elected Officials, Policymakers, and Staff in Political Offices
CUNY ISLG hosts the Lindsay Fellowship for Elected Officials and the Kriegel Fellowship for Public Service Leaders to cultivate leadership development, elevate policy priorities, and share resources among New York City and State’s elected officials, policymakers, and the staff that support them.
The Kriegel Fellowship is a professional development program designed to support the unique needs and responsibilities encountered by staff of legislators and other political leaders. Chiefs of Staff, Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Constituent Services, and other senior staff in in New York state, local, and borough political offices are eligible to apply.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until we reach capacity. To apply, please fill out this application.
The Lindsay Fellowship brings state and local legislators together to network with leaders across sectors, build relationships, and learn about policies and practices that can help effectively serve their communities. The Fellowship is accepting applications from city and state elected officials in their first four years of service to join the Class of 2026.
Applications will be open through September 18. To apply, please fill out this application.
If you have any questions about either Fellowship, reach out to Siobhán Carney, Policy Director, at siobhan.carney@islg.cuny.edu.
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