Across the country, prosecutors are recognizing the importance of changing their relationship with the communities they serve. In this new role, the justice system emerges as a partner with the community asking how the justice system can help support community efforts rather than dictating solutions to neighborhood crime and quality of life problems.

The overall goals of the Community Justice Unit are:

• to develop initiatives which involve the community as a partner in the justice system;
• to support community building efforts;
• to develop crime prevention and intervention programs; and
• to develop a coordinated law enforcement response to community crime problems.

In the program neighborhoods, the Community Justice Unit involves the broad participation of neighborhood stakeholders (citizens, neighborhood organizations, businesses, faith communities, and non-profit organizations) with representatives of government (police, prosecutors, elected officials, city government and public schools) working as a team to address local crime and quality of life problems.

In addition to neighborhood-specific work, the Community Justice Unit collaborates closely with the Juvenile Diversion Program and the Victim Services Network.