NEW YORK, N.Y. – Today, the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution at John Jay College announced its new advisory board, made up of elected prosecutors from across the country alongside academics and leading criminal justice reform experts. John College of Criminal Justice President Karol Mason will continue to serve as chair of the board.  

“John Jay College is proud to be the home of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution, a national leader that provides critical support for prosecutors across the country committed to improving the fair administration of justice,” said President Karol Mason. “The IIP has established itself as a trusted, nonpartisan research center that engages a diverse range of prosecutors and criminal justice stakeholders in identifying and implementing evidence-based strategies for improving the fair administration of justice, which is integral to increasing public safety. With Executive Director Rachel Marshall at the helm and a new advisory board made of visionary prosecutors, the IIP will continue to make an impact in building safer communities and a more just and equitable justice system.” 

“I am honored to lead the IIP with the guidance and support of this extraordinary board of national leaders, each of whom brings a deep understanding of the criminal justice system and the role of prosecutors in advancing reform,” said IIP Executive Director Rachel Marshall. “I am grateful to our many longtime board members for continuing to serve and am thrilled to welcome our new board members to contribute to the IIP’s work. As prosecutors face new, unprecedented challenges nationwide, the IIP is committed to providing the necessary forums for guidance, support, and dialogue between prosecutors and experts on the most critical issues facing our justice system.”

The IIP Advisory Board includes a diverse group of prosecutors, defenders, legal scholars, and others with expertise in the criminal justice system.  The newest board members are DeKalb County, Georgia District Attorney Sherry Boston; Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg; Ramsey County, Minnesota AttorneyJohn Choi; Salt Lake County, Utah District Attorney Sim Gill; Brooklyn (Kings County) District Attorney Eric Gonzalez; and Angela Davis, Distinguished Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law. 

The IIP Advisory Board includes a diverse group of prosecutors, defenders, legal scholars, and others with expertise in the criminal justice system.  Returning to the IIP advisory board are Lenore Anderson, Co-Founder and President, Alliance for Safety and Justice; Paul Butler, Professor at Georgetown University Law Center; Wesley Caines, Deputy Executive Director of the Bronx Defenders; John Chisholm, District Attorney of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Katherine Fernandez Rundle, State Attorney of Miami-Dade County, Florida; Kim Foxx, State’s Attorney of Cook County, Illinois; Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Partner, Agnifilo Law Group, PC;  George Gascón, District Attorney of Los Angeles, California; Judge Nancy Gertner, Senior Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School; Carter Stewart, Executive Vice President for Programs, Mellon Foundation; Jeremy Travis, Senior Fellow, Columbia Justice Lab; and Ronald Wright, Professor of Criminal Law at Wake Forest University School of Law.

“I am proud to join the IIP as an Advisory Board Member, as the IIP plays a critical role in providing the necessary education, strategies, and guidance to prosecutors on the most pressing issues facing our profession,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. “As an elected prosecutor in Georgia, where there have been extensive efforts to curb prosecutorial authority, I am grateful that the IIP has been a leader in the fight to protect prosecutorial independence.” 

“The Institute for Innovation in Prosecution has made a significant national impact in advancing and improving the prosecutor’s role in improving the quality of safety and justice for all through innovation and reform,” said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. “My community has benefited greatly through the new ideas, broader collaborative partnerships,  and support that the IIP has made possible through their work in bringing leaders and stakeholders together. I am honored to be invited to serve on IIP’s advisory board to support and advance its important mission and work.”

“Criminal justice reform is both necessary and achievable without compromising public safety. Justice, fairness, equality, and truth are ideals that should inspire us as public servants. This is the work that IIP is committed to and one that is my privilege to be a part of. The IIP has a wide reach and ensures that all prosecutors who are interested in pursuing evidence-based, data-driven approaches to criminal justice issues are heard,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “I have been to several IIP convenings and I am always impressed by the diverse stakeholders and the thoughtful discussions on some of the most relevant and urgent problems facing prosecutors and the criminal justice community. I am honored to be a new board member on the IIP and look forward to supporting the organization as it continues to make a significant impact on criminal justice reform.”

“In the short time since its launch, the IIP has had an outsized impact on the world of prosecution,” said Jeremy Travis, Senior Fellow at Columbia Justice Lab. “Through its landmark Executive Session on the changing role of prosecutors, to its webinars and publications perfectly timed to meet the issues of the day, to its critical role as a meeting place for thoughtful practitioners, academics and other experts, the IIP is shaping the national discourse. Importantly, with its roots in John Jay College, a national leader in justice scholarship, the IIP draws strength from its stance as a trusted, independent source of ideas and information. Given the critical role that prosecutors play in our response to crime and aspirations for justice, it’s safe to say that the IIP is having a national impact.”

The IIP brings together prosecutors, experts, and community members to promote effective strategies for building safe communities. The IIP cultivates strong relationships with prosecutors, their staff, and key stakeholders, educates the public about the role of prosecutors and the benefits of prosecutorial reform and produces reliable, evidence-based policy papers to guide prosecutors’ offices nationwide.