Reports

Bring Our Children Home: Ain't I A Child

December 2016

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New Jersey Prepare to Vote 2016 

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New Jersey Community Forward Mid-Year Review

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10 Things You Can Do To Reform Law Enforcement in New Jersey


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HURRICANE SANDY AFTER-MATH: Rebuilding with Social Justice in New Jersey

On Monday April 29, New Jersey and New York coastal regions are 6 months removed from the initial devastation of Hurricane Sandy; and to underscore the challenges of the recovery process, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice has completed an in-depth analysis of the social justice implications of one most costly storms in the history of the nation. The primary theme of this report is that the biggest losers from Hurricane Sandy are low-income owners of homes or businesses.  Many without employment or property when the storm hit also suffered significantly but had less to lose.

Hard-working people who had a foot on the bottom rung of the ladder of opportunity were knocked off the ladder by the storm. Many who were struggling to break out of the cycle of poverty, who made what seemed reasonable investments of their life savings in a home or business, saw their main asset destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Some lost their jobs or businesses, others their homes, some both.

To read the full Report, click here


SOCIAL COVENANT BONDS AND ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS: New, Nearly Costless Resources to Create Jobs for New Jerseyans

This paper examines options to expand the economic development impact of the construction programs of large institutions deeply rooted in a specific place by virtue of an expansive, physical location.  This includes universities and colleges, utilities, hospitals, museums and others more commonly known as anchor institutions.


GOVERNANCE MEMORANDUM ON HEALTH EXCHANGES IN NEW JERSEY

A memorandum written and edited by Renee Steinhagen from NJ Appleseed, with significant technical assistance and legal research analysis from Joel Edman, NJISJ 2011 legal summer intern from Harvard Law School. The memo addresses the different types of governance a health care exchange may adopt upon creation by New Jersey legislature.
By Renee Steinhagen, Esq., and Joel Edman


RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORM OF NEW JERSEY’S JUVENILE WAIVER LAWS

New Jersey Institute for Social Justice has recently completed the most comprehensive study of a state’s juvenile waiver law in the country.


GETTING BACK ON THE ROAD

A Manual for Addressing Driver’s License Suspension in New Jersey
By Nancy L. Fishman, Esq., and Laurel Dumont, Esq., NJISJ. And by John W. Bartlett, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler, P.C.


DO NO HARM: A BRIEFING PAPER ON THE REENTRY OF GANG-AFFILIATED INDIVIDUALS IN NEW JERSEY

Provides background information and identifies promising strategies to help guide New Jersey’s policy and practice on the reentry of gang-affiliated individuals. Emphasizing evidence-based strategies that could be used to make gang activity less violent and pervasive, the paper synthesizes and translates existing approaches that could be implemented in New Jersey to improve reentry outcomes for this population.
By Richard Greenberg, NJISJ


AN EVALUATION OF THE NEWARK/ESSEX CONSTRUCTION CAREERS CONSORTIUM PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM

N/ECCC, which is managed by the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice in collaboration with over 20 community partners, trains low-income, minority, and female residents of the City of Newark and Essex County to obtain apprenticeships in the construction industry. This study finds pre-apprenticeship programs boost earnings of low-income adults who complete the program.
By John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: AN EVALUATION OF THE NEWARK/ESSEX CONSTRUCTION CAREERS CONSORTIUM PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM

By John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey


BRINGING FAMILIES IN: RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE INCARCERATION, REENTRY & THE FAMILY ROUNDTABLES

A report from a series of roundtables that brought together policy leaders, academics, community activists, service providers, and formerly incarcerated individuals and their family members to talk about both the impact on families of incarceration and reentry and the critical role that family members can and do play when adults and juveniles come home.


HOUSE RICH, POCKET POOR AND UNDER THREAT 

Improving Access to Affordable Home Repair Financing in New Jersey. White paper analyzing one of the most critical issues facing existing homeowners: the limited availability of affordable home repair financing and quality contracting services.
By Yahonnes Cleary, NJISJ


ACCESS TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN ESSEX COUNTY

Maps and analysis of financial institutions, including banks and check cashing outlets, in minority and low income communities in Essex County.
By Yahonnes Cleary, NJISJ


NATIONAL STUDY ON PREDATORY LENDING

Shows New Jersey’s law has effectively reduced abusive lending in the state Statement summarizing a national study by the Center for Responsible Lending showing that New Jersey’s predatory lending law has reduced abusive lending and lowered the costs of subprime mortgages.
By New Jersey Institute for Social Justice


BRINGING VICTIMS AND VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS INTO REENTRY PLANNING IN NEW JERSEY

How victims and victim service providers can be partners in developing and improving the effectiveness of reentry policies.
By The National Center for Victims of Crime


MAKING WORK PAY

Promoting Employment and Better Child Support Outcomes for Low-Income and Incarcerated Parents
By Ann Cammett, NJISJ


ESSEX COUNTY SMART BOOK: A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR GOING HOME 2008 edition
ESSEX COUNTY SMART BOOK: A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR GOING HOME 2005 edition

A comprehensive directory of services and resources for reentering individuals.
By New Jersey Institute for Social Justice


TOWARD A POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR THE ALLOCATION OF LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS

By Alan Mallach, National Housing Institute


COMING HOME FOR GOOD

Meeting the Challenge of Prisoner Reentry in New Jersey
Final Report of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable,
By the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and the New Jersey Public Policy Research Institute


A PORTRAIT OF PRISONER REENTRY IN NEW JERSEY

By Jeremy Travis, Sinead Keegan, Eric Cadora with Amy Solomon and Charles Swartz


FAMILIES: A CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR NEW JERSEY’S PRISONER REENTRY STRATEGY

By Carol Shapiro for the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice


SCHOOL RELATED PROBLEMS CONFRONTING NEW JERSEY YOUTH RETURNING TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS FROM JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES AND JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION PROGRAMS

Presentation for the June 20th session of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By David R. Giles, J.D.


COMMUNITY RE-ENTRY OF ADOLESCENTS FROM NEW JERSEY’S JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM

Presentation for the June 20th session of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By Bruce D. Stout, Ph.D., University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey


EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EX-OFFENDERS IN NEW JERSEY

Paper prepared for Session 3 of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University for the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice and the New Jersey Public Policy Research Institute


INCARCERATION, EMPLOYMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY

Presentation for Session 3 of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By Professor Bruce Western, Princeton University


LEGAL CONSEQUENCES OF INCARCERATION FOR REENTRY

Presentation or Session 3 of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By Debbie Mukamal, The Legal Action Center


LEGAL BARRIERS TO PRISONER REENTRY IN NEW JERSEY

Briefing paper prepared for Session 3 of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By Nancy Fishman, NJISJ


REENTRY INTO THE COMMUNITY AFTER ADDICTION TREATMENT WITHIN NEW JERSEY’S PRISON AND JAILS

Paper prepared for session 2 of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By Douglas Ziedonis, MD, MPH and Nancy Violette, LCSW, CADC


INVESTING IN HEALTH AND JUSTICE OUTCOMES

An Investment Strategy for Offenders with Mental Health Problems in New Jersey
By Nancy Wolff, Ph.D., Rutgers University


REENTRY ISSUES FOR OFFENDERS LIVING WITH HIV

Paper prepared for session 2 of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By Riki Jacobs, Hyacinth Foundation


A PORTRAIT OF PRISONER REENTRY IN NEW JERSEY

Research presentation prepared for session 1 of the New Jersey Reentry Roundtable
By Jeremy Travis and Michelle Waul, The Urban Institute


PRISONER REENTRY: The State of Public Opinion

By the Eagleton Institute of Politics Center for Public Interest Polling, Rutgers University


AN OVERVIEW OF PRISONER REENTRY IN NEW JERSEY

Briefing Paper
By Nancy Fishman, NJISJ


WORKFORCE LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT

A review of the workforce development system in and around Newark NJ with recommendations for employers, training agencies and local government.
By Robert S. Stokes, RSS Associates for the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, the Newark Community Development Network, and the Enterprise Foundation


ROADBLOCK ON THE WAY TO WORK: Driver’s License Suspension in New Jersey

Reports showing how the state’s driver’s license suspension system forms a barrier to economic advancement for New Jersey’s business and residents
By Ken Zimmerman and Nancy Fishman, NJISJ