Justice Innovation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE INNOVATION IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO CREATE A FAIR, EFFECTIVE, AND HUMANE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND BUILD STRONG, THRIVING COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $127.6 million
- Spending
- $126.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 3.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 93%
- Employees
- 1,117
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $448,668, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 72 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $62.3 million spent. COURT REFORM PROGRAMS:SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 1996, THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE INNOVATION HAS BEEN PIONEERING CREATIVE REFORMS TO MAKE INCARCERATION A LAST RESORT IN NEW YORK CITY AND BEYOND. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW YORK'S OFFICE FOR COURT ADMINISTRATION, THE CENTER RESPONDS TO CRIME WITH ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION, SUPERVISED RELEASE, AND SPECIALIZED COURT PROGRAMS. THE CENTER EMPHASIZES AN APPROACH THAT ADDRESSES THE ROOT PROBLEM - THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT; EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, AND HOUSING SERVICES; AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE - WE REDUCE THE WELL-DOCUMENTED HARMS OF THE SYSTEM WHILE LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR MEANINGFUL, LONG-TERM SAFETY.
- $27.4 million spent. COMMUNITY SAFETY: TOO OFTEN, INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES TO ISSUES OF CRIME AND SAFETY ARE PURELY REACTIVE, COMING INTO PLAY ONLY AFTER HARM HAS BEEN DONE. THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE INNOVATION TAKES AN "UPSTREAM" APPROACH - PLANTING THE SEEDS FOR GENUINE, LONG-TERM SAFETY AND JUSTICE BY INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES. FACTORS AFFECTING COMMUNITY SAFETY AND WELL-BEING INCLUDE ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE AND QUALITY HOUSING, STRONG FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, MEDICAL CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND MORE, AND SO OUR PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS THOSE NEEDS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT RESIDENTS ARE THE EXPERTS ON THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, AND THAT NO DECISIONS ABOUT JUSTICE AND SAFETY CAN BE ADEQUATE WITHOUT INCORPORATING THE PERSPECTIVES AND PARTICIPATION OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
- $12.6 million spent. NATIONAL INITIATIVES: THE CENTER IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN DEVELOPING, STUDYING, AND DISSEMINATING A WIDE VARIETY OF INNOVATIVE JUSTICE MODELS. THROUGH THE CENTER'S COMMUNITY JUSTICE SOLUTIONS TEAM, STAFF CONDUCT MIXED-METHOD, MULTI-SITE EVALUATIONS OF COMMUNITY, COURT, PUBLIC HEALTH, JUSTICE, AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS RESEARCH TO PROMOTE NEW THINKING ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT SYSTEMS (E.G., EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE) CAN ADDRESS PROBLEMS OF VIOLENCE, CRIME, AND SAFETY. THE TEAM'S TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SIDE PROVIDES HANDS-ON, EXPERT ASSISTANCE TO REFORMERS AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THROUGH FACILITATING SITE VISITS AT MODEL PROGRAMS; PROVIDING TRAINING ON A RANGE OF TOPICS, FROM COMMUNITY JUSTICE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; MAINTAINING AN ARRAY OF ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES; AND OFFERING INTENSIVE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT TO JURISDICTIONS SEEKING TO LAUNCH NEW MODELS. RESEARCH INFORMS PROGRAMMING, PROGRAMMING INFORMS RESEARCH, AND BOTH RESEARCH AND PRACTICE INFORM OUR EFFORTS TO TRAIN AND ASSIST COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY IN ADOPTING TAILORED REFORMS.
- $2.4 million spent. POLICY:FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CENTER'S POLICY PRIORITIES AND NEW VENTURES, WITH AN EYE TOWARD ADVANCING LEADING-EDGE IDEAS AND PRACTICES ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. IN ADDITION, THE POLICY TEAM IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING EFFICIENT, EVIDENCE-BASED COURT PRACTICES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW YORK STATE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM, AS WELL AS OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS. THIS WORK INCLUDES DEVELOPING A MODEL FOR INDIVIDUALIZED JAIL POPULATION REVIEW THAT AIMS TO REDUCE THE NEW YORK CITY JAIL POPULATION IN ORDER TO HELP ENSURE THE CLOSURE OF RIKERS ISLAND, AND TO SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER LARGE JURISDICTIONS TO REDUCE PRETRIAL INCARCERATION.
- $1.9 million spent. CENTER CORE:THE CENTER'S CORE PLANNING AND OPERATIONS STAFF RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR PLANNING ASSISTANCE FROM THE COURT SYSTEM; PROVIDE SUPERVISION AND OVERSIGHT COURT PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK CITY AND STATE; AND DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT FUNDING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT THIS WORK.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2021.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.