Evidence for our model
The NYC Justice Corps draws from the fields of restorative justice, workforce development, youth development, and recidivism reduction.
Restorative Justice
The NYC Justice Corps is part of a national network of 25 Civic Justice Corps programs in which formerly incarcerated and court-involved youth reconnect with their community and find pathways to success through service. Citation here
“Community service acts as a restorative practice that repairs harm caused by persons under criminal justice supervision to victims and communities and provides a tangible public benefit;”
A Civic Justice Corp: Community Service as Means of Re-integration
Gordon Bazemore and David Karp, 2006
Workforce Development
NYC Justice Corps Members serve their communities and earn a stipend. Research shows that having a successful workplace experience by age 25 increases the likelihood of a lifetime of financial stability. Wage subsidies, when combined with job development, training and job search assistance, are among the most effective ways to obtain employment for hard to employ, low-skill individuals. Corps Members explore career options through their community service and internships—all the while practicing the punctuality, responsibility, and teamwork they will need on the job. The NYC Justice Corps serves as proxy for the social capital that young adults involved in the criminal justice system need to enter the workforce, brokering their contacts with employers and expanding their network of contacts that can lead to employment. They graduate NYC Justice Corps with a resume and references.
Youth Development
The human brain develops until age 25. So we give Corps Members, ages 18-24, the positive developmental opportunities that all young people need to grow and thrive. We offer a lot of support, and we have high expectations, too. Corps Members must fulfill their commitments to learn in the classroom and on their service projects, work as part of a team, and make a contribution to their neighborhood. Corps Members bond with caring staff and get connected to a new world of community mentors, internship supervisors and, ultimately, employers.
“Youth who made a successful adaptation in adulthood despite adversity relied on sources of support within their family and community that increased their competencies and self-efficacy, decreased the number of stressful life events they subsequently encountered and opened up new opportunities for them.”