How we can help
The Centre for Justice Innovation provides hands-on assistance to practitioners who work in the justice system across the UK.
Having supported dozens of innovative justice initiatives, we know what it takes to get a new project off the ground, how to ensure existing projects remain successful and sustainable and how to spread practice to deliver systems change.
We are currently funded to offer free, dedicated support packages in the following areas:
Transforming Community Justice for Women
Through our partnership with the Jabbs Foundation for Women and Girls, we convene two new national networks to improve practice for justice-involved women. The first is a community rehabilitation and diversion network, with a special focus on improving joint working between the police and women’s centres.
The second focuses on spreading problem-solving approaches to women in the criminal court. These networks support the expansion of evidence-based practices, providing forums to share best and promising practice, establish common practice principles and build the evidence-base.
Through these networks, we are identifying opportunities to strengthen whole systems, place-based commissioning and local partnership working, and influencing national government and other decision-makers to change operational and strategic policy to transform community justice for women and girls.
This support is funded for England and Wales only but we are keen to support similar work in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Contact Suzanne Smith at ssmith@justiceinnovation.org
Family Drug and Alcohol Courts
Since 2019, with support from a consortium of funders, brought together by HallBrown, the Centre has provided national support to Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDACs). We provide set up support, training, collect data, practice sharing, commission research and act as the national champion for FDACs. See the FDAC website for more details.
This support is funded UK-wide.
Contact Sophie Carter at scarter@justiceinnovation.org
Criminal problem-solving courts
The Centre is the national centre of expertise in the evidence and practice of problem-solving courts. With the support of our sister organisation, the Center for Justice Innovation in the USA, we work across the UK and in the Republic of Ireland to support the creation of and development of evidence-led practice to tackle offending and protect victims. We provide set up support, training, practice reviews and shared practice events.
This support is funded UK-wide.
Contact Claire Ely at cely@justiceinnovation.org
Out of court resolutions for children
Through our partnership with the Youth Endowment Foundation ,we are working to grow demand for evidence across the youth justice sector and supporting organisations to do what works. Evidence shows that targeted support for children who commit low-level or first-time offences, rather than court proceedings, reduces re-offending and violence. Planned activities include virtual learning events, newsletters and training sessions.
This support is funded for England and Wales only but we are keen to support similar work in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Contact Bami Jolaoso at bjolaoso@justiceinnovation.org
Out of court resolutions for adults
Through support from a range of funders, including the Barrow Cadbury Trust and select Mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners, we have developed expertise in working with practitioners to create and expand out of court resolutions for adults to keep communities safe.
This support is funded for England and Wales only.
Contact Claire Ely at cely@justiceinnovation.org
Other areas
In the past, we have worked extensively on innovations like the pathfinder courts in private family law, Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts, Community Advice services at court, improving community sentences and the work of probation more generally. Though we are not currently funded to provide free support in these areas, we will always consider whether we can offer support. We can also provide help on a fee-for-service basis.