This site spends a lot of time telling people that restorative justice exists and that they have to ask for it themselves. Here's the news that backs that up with real numbers: New York City's Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice just committed $6.5 million this year — part of $16.5 million earmarked over several years — to 16 organizations running restorative justice programs across the five boroughs. This is not a pilot program. It's part of a five-year plan to build out community-based alternatives as the city works toward closing Rikers Island.
What the money actually funds
This isn't one program — it's a range of specific circles and training initiatives, including:
- Training practitioners to lead restorative justice circles
- Circles specifically for school students, people in addiction recovery, domestic violence survivors, and teens arrested on gun charges
- Technical assistance for schools, violence interrupters, and community groups that want to bring restorative practices into their own work
That list matters because it names specific populations. If you or someone you love falls into one of those categories — a teen facing a gun charge, someone navigating addiction alongside a case, a domestic violence survivor looking for something other than the standard court process — these are no longer hypothetical options. They're funded programs operating right now.
What this looks like on the ground
One of the funded programs, at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center in the Bronx, trains recent high school graduates to facilitate circles for younger teens working through conflict and emotional expression. Ramses Portorreal, a 19-year-old facilitator in that program, described the goal simply: it's a space for younger kids "to come feel safe" when conditions in their neighborhood aren't.
Deanna Logan, who directs the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice, framed the broader goal as building "safer, more livable neighborhoods" through community-led solutions rather than relying solely on prosecution. Rhokeisha Ford, who directs a related CUNY program, put it more personally — describing how restorative practices let participants move past a rigid perpetrator-victim framing and, in her words, "become human again."
Why this matters beyond one funding announcement
Research on these programs shows real, measurable effects — reduced student arrests and suspensions where circles are used in schools, and psychological benefits reported by crime victims who go through the process. This isn't a soft alternative to accountability; it's a different mechanism for it, and the city is now funding it at scale.
What to do with this if you're facing a case right now
Funding announcements like this one don't automatically connect to any specific person's case — nobody from the Mayor's Office is going to call your attorney and suggest one of these programs. The responsibility to ask still sits with you, the same way it does at every other stage. See our full guide on restorative justice and diversion for the exact questions to bring to an attorney, and mention this specific funding if it helps make the case that these programs are real, active, and growing — not a long shot.
General information, not legal advice
This article summarizes a public funding announcement and general program information — not legal advice for a specific case. Program availability and eligibility vary by circumstance; confirm specifics with a licensed attorney or the organizations named above.