JTI Hosts: Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice: Overview of MOCJ Programs and Initiatives
November 4 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Free
The NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) develops and implements innovative programs that improve lives, public safety, and fairness in the justice system. In this webinar, staff members from MOCJ will detail the different areas that MOCJ works in to support individuals in contact with the criminal justice system and how to prevent deeper system involvement.
Presenters will overview how MOCJ’s programming for alternatives to detention and incarceration, reentry, and emergency transitional housing assists individuals at every stage of the justice involvement process, from prevention and early intervention efforts to assisting with transition from incarceration. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of the resources made available through MOCJ for clients and the greater community.
Presenters:
Sara Tempel currently serves as the Senior Advisor of Housing Initiatives at the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. In this role, she oversees the Emergency Transitional Housing portfolio, which supports justice-impacted individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. She also provides strategic policy leadership focusing on identifying housing opportunities and gaps, advancing housing-centered solutions, and aligning policies related to serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD) with broader efforts to reduce jail populations. Prior to her current position, Sara held multiple roles at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), where she worked across policy, housing development, and rental subsidy programs. She also has experience in the supportive housing nonprofit sector, contributing to programs that serve vulnerable populations.
Lainey Johnston is the Director of Diversion Initiatives at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, where she oversees Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) and pre-arraignment diversion programs. Her work focuses on strengthening community-based alternatives to incarceration and expanding coordinated responses for individuals with behavioral health needs. Drawing on her experience connecting unhoused New Yorkers to essential services, she brings a person-centered approach to advancing diversion and improving criminal legal system outcomes. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from St. John’s University.
Jordan R. Montoya is a first-generation Guatemalan American attorney and public sector leader focused on advancing equity and innovation in the criminal justice system. He serves as Executive Director of Diversion & Transition at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, overseeing more than 30 programs that expand alternatives to incarceration and support reentry. Previously, he led pretrial services at MOCJ and worked on policy, legal strategy, and program management as Associate Counsel. Earlier in his career, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx, prosecuting a wide range of criminal cases.