Goddard Riverside’s Post

Check out my conversation with CCRJP about starting Restorative Jeff Co!

This is what restorative justice looks like. More of this please. #HonoringMartingLutherKingJr

As we head into the New Year, we are reflecting on what we accomplished in 2023 and looking ahead optimistically into 2024. We send a big thank you to everyone who supported the impact we are having on the communities we serve. If you have not made a year end gift to LCLC, you have one more day to donate here: https://lnkd.in/gE669Tyz If you have already donated, we hope you take a moment this weekend to reflect on the difference you have made -- the lives you have touched that will be better off because of you. The impact we've had is the result of all of us working together to make it happen. THANK YOU! Let's play the 2023 highlight reel (enjoy!): - Robin Steinberg, the national leader in community holistic defense, is supporting us with help from The Bail Project, one of our best-ever partners - Nearly completed the consenting process for our RCT -- 630 of the 660 consented with more coming in this week - Secured $3MM funding to sustain our successful roll out of Community Release with Support + expand into Maywood and Rolling Meadows - Illinois ended cash bail in September! And we are proving it's safer and successful! - Deepened our partnership with CLIHTF to connect our clients to housing - Awarded $5MM in city funding to house our clients, the largest investment in our clients' housing needs likely in the history of Chicago! - Raised $21MM in capital funding to construct our Residential Workforce Development Center! - Completed nine-month SWOT analysis and have been implementing solutions since - Unprecedented earned media coverage due to the great work our team is doing! The impact we're having is undeniable: - Community Holistic Defense -- ~340 youth served annually, 82.2% not catching new cases while in our care, 75% are being connected to critical social supports, 53% progressed in employment, 66% progressed in school, 46% no permanent felony records, 62% stay home instead of prison - Community Release with Support -- ~3,000 clients served annually, 98% returned to court, 64% cases dismissed, 100% received court reminders and transportation as needed, 57% linked to social services pending trial - Restorative Justice Community Courts -- we started the first in North Lawndale, two more have been added, 219+ emerging adults served, 84% charged with felony weapon possession, 86.9% have not caught new cases compared to 34.8% from a matched control group (conversely only 13.1% caught new cases in RJCC vs. 65.2% outside of RJCC) - Housing Justice -- We linked ~50 clients to housing with over 100 family members + another forty families in the queue for 2024. We go into 2024 with the unique expertise and value we have created in the field of criminal justice over the last fourteen years. We go into 2024 with a bright future, bold vision, and a great team of people dedicated to making our world better. Thank you and Happy New Year!

🌟Great to see Insights below from our recent partner roundtable in Durham, where we delved into strategies for enhancing sustained outcomes for individuals transitioning from custody and remand. 🤝One key finding from our mentoring service analysis: individuals often don't reside in the same area as the prison they exit. That's why our partnership models prioritise scalable mentoring services with local delivery. This approach ensures consistency of service provision, a crucial factor in driving positive outcomes. 📈Our analysis also underscores the importance of programme continuity. Those who complete a mentoring programme tend to experience significantly greater improvements compared to early exits. 🗣️And beyond quantitative data, our analysis reveals a recurring benefit of our approach — the advocacy provided by mentors. This personal touch plays a vital role in empowering individuals and navigating their onward journey. Excited to continue this dialogue and explore further opportunities for impact The Wise Group  

🤝 We recently talked to Pastor Gabriel Dominguez, Associate Pastor at the Methodist Church in City of Waco, TX, in a podcast, where he shared how Faith & Blue events facilitate collaboration and trust between law enforcement and communities. Pastor Dominguez explained, "The events themselves help in two different ways. They either kick off new partnerships between local churches or nonprofits and law enforcement, or they reinforce ongoing collaborations. For us, it reinforced what we were already doing in the community." 🙌 He recalled a memorable moment during a flyer distribution for a local event: "We were knocking on doors in the projects, and I knew many people there. One guy, skeptical at first, saw an officer with me and asked, 'What is he doing here?' I assured him, 'He's with me, bro. We're good.' This man, who had only interacted with police negatively, ended up joining us." This story illustrates how events can break the ice and foster meaningful connections between law enforcement and community members, even in challenging areas. For those looking to enhance their community engagement strategies, the Law Enforcement Community Engagement Network (LECEN) offers invaluable resources. LECEN provides best practices, peer support, industry expertise, and current research for both sworn and non-sworn personnel in community engagement roles across the nation. Join us in building bridges and fostering trust between law enforcement and communities through impactful community events. Discover valuable resources at Law Enforcement Community Engagement Network (LECEN) to enhance collaborations. Visit https://lnkd.in/edzN4B4a for a stronger, safer community. #lecen #buildingconnections #positivechanges #lawenforcement

These are the stories of those impacted by youth violence and the extreme sentencing of youth who have found transformative healing through restorative justice. Survivors. Families. Communities. Condemned children. In our new story bank, 'Restorative Stories,' we'll regularly feature members of our community who have embraced restorative justice and transformative healing as models for resolving conflict, repairing harm, and finding healing. https://lnkd.in/e7QidxCg

To all my lawyer and soon-to-be lawyer friends: Can starting and running a (nonprofit) law firm be a "source of pride...and joy?" Yes, it can be. Watch this short video and see what Sarah Beth Withers has done in (lil) Washington, NC. What about you? Interested in being "a beacon of hope, an agent of change, and champion of justice?" It is possible. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but it can be done. Check out the Incubator for Legal Practice and Innovation: ILPI for more details - after watching the video!

Imagine scaling a 30-foot flagpole to take down a symbol of hate. That's exactly what Bree Newsome Bass did in 2015, when she bravely removed the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House. With each step, she defied centuries of oppression and sparked a national movement for racial justice. Things we can learn from her courage: 💡 Direct action CREATES change. 💡 NEVER give up on justice. 💡 Your VOICE matters. So, what can YOU do to resist oppression? Get our 100+ Community Organizing Resource Vault™ with guides, templates, and inspiration to help you secure the win: https://lnkd.in/eqp7FNP9 Did we mention it's free?

Negotiations are everywhere. As a social-justice advocate (who also has a life outside of work), you’re in all kinds of negotiations, from the light and easy to the deadly serious: 🍦 Your kids ask for ice cream for dinner 🎥 Friends are choosing a movie to watch 🧹 Roommates are deciding on household chores 💼 Organized employees asking for a raise 🏡 Tenants withhold rent to get a landlord to improve conditions ✊ Protestors attempting to de-escalate the police in the heat of an uprising If you’re a legal advocate on the frontlines of community liberation, this course is for you! Save time and money by learning effective and authentic negotiation lessons that teach you who you have to be to win big for your community.