Many survivors of domestic violence do not wish to engage with law enforcement, and yet some services available to them require showing proof of cooperation with the criminal legal system. As part of the City’s broad police reform agenda, ISLG is working to address these barriers and decouple the criminal legal system from essential services. As part of the City’s broad police reform agenda, ISLG is working to address these barriers and decouple the criminal legal system from essential services.

Criminal records follow people long after they have served their time and often end up as “permanent punishments.” This leads to many collateral consequences, including the significant impact a criminal record has in severely limiting housing options for people leaving incarceration.

Social enterprises—nonprofits that generate revenue to support their ongoing operations—present an innovative approach to workforce development, with the potential for systems-level impact. The Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII) funded the work of three growing social enterprises: Drive Change, The HOPE Program’s Intervine, and Sweet Generation Bakery.