Originally launched during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the CJU Mobile Justice Unit (MJU) was created to bring critical legal services to disaster-impacted communities most affected by the storm. CJU continued to deliver critical support directly to underserved neighborhoods. In partnership with Crisis Management System organizations, CJU deployed the MJU at community events, Peace Week initiatives, and neighborhood outreach efforts. Through this on-the-ground approach, staff provided immediate legal guidance, distributed accessible “know your rights” materials, and connected community members to ongoing support.

CJU partners with community organizations and elected officials for its ongoing Know Your Rights Ambassador Training series, which educates students about the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) gang database, police encounters and youth organizing. Upon completion of the training, participants become youth ambassadors who will continue to facilitate Know Your Rights workshops around these critical topics.

The training curriculum focuses on the rights that New Yorkers have to protect themselves from illegal police searches and other acts of misconduct. Attendees learn about the NYPD’s gang raid tactics, and ways to fight the Department’s overinclusive gang labeling. Youth ambassadors also learn how to become skillful and knowledgeable presenters to conduct workshops around this issue with their peers.

CJU, in partnership with Guns Down Life Up, hosted a powerful youth-led forum focused on the proposed New York State mask ban—legislation that would criminalize wearing masks at protests, rallies, and other public assemblies.

While framed as a public safety measure, the forum underscored concerns that the policy is more likely to exacerbate the over-policing and criminalization of Black and brown youth.

The Legal Aid Society launched its FOIL yourself website in 2018 in order to streamline the process for New Yorkers to submit a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to determine if they have been labeled by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a gang affiliate. Like the stop and frisk strategies that the NYPD relied upon in the recent past, the databases are likely to be over-inclusive and inaccurate. Unlike the stop and frisk records, the databases are secret, do not require even a suspicion of criminality, and are not subject to Fourth Amendment protection and judicial review.