Examining the Benefits and Challenges of the Brooklyn Family Justice Center and Recommendations for Future Centers

The Brooklyn Family Justice Center (FJC) is part of The New York City Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence. The FJC provides coordinated and efficient services to victims of domestic violence with the assistance of community based organizations and government agencies co-located in one place. The Brooklyn FJC has been in operation for over one year. Therefore, an assessment of the protocols and procedures developed and implemented at the Center’s inception, along with an evaluation of the benefits and challenges witnessed along the way, will provide valuable information for future FJC’s that will open in the other boroughs of New York City. The Capstone team provided a summary of the learning developed over the planning and operations period of the Brooklyn FJC, and a best practices document, which includes suggested policies, procedures, and recommendations transferable to future FJC sites in New York City.