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CJEI

The Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative (CJEI) provides criminal records and employment law training to job seekers who have been involved in the criminal legal system, assists employers in rethinking their approach to hiring, engages in research to study reentry practices, and influences policy makers and legislators on criminal justice reform.

Training

See all of our training options

Employers

We assist employers in rethinking their approach to hiring.

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Learn more about employer training

People with Criminal Records

We help job seekers overcome employment barriers.

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Learn more about training

Community Partners

We bring legal education to the reentry field.

Learn more about our legal education

Queensboro Correctional Facility

Timothy McNutt, Esq  participated at the The Queensboro Correctional Facility winter resource fair on Friday, December 9th. The resource fair included employment and educational opportunities, family reunification, parental and child support, housing, health, discharge planning, and substance abuse assistance.
queensboro corrections facility
Queensboro Correctional Facility

Queens Public Library: Justice Without Barriers Series

The Restorative Justice project, led by Tim, Matt, and Jodi will explore connections that can be drawn from experiences of justice-impacted workers to other marginalized workers and how these experiences relate to broader themes of access to work, equity, and economic development. 
cjei QPL event
Queens Public Library: Justice Without Barriers Series

Prison Reform and Education Project

Timothy McNutt, Esq  partnered with PREP (Prison Reform and Education Project) in November 2022 to speak about justice- impacted access to work.
CJEI prep
Prison Reform and Education Project

Resources

Guides, Hiring Strategies & Best Practices

Improve employment opportunities for people with criminal records by using our guides on employment laws, understanding the benefits of hiring from this talent pool, and learning best practices.

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Access CJEI resources here

Research

See more research

Work With Us

Researchers can collaborate with us on their data sets and contact us to discuss longitudinal studies.

Contact us at cjei@cornell.edu

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Roundtable Discussion on Emerging Trends in Work, Labor, and Employment

On November 29, 2022, Cornell ILR, New York City Conference Center hosted a roundtable discussion on emerging trends in work, labor, and employment.
cjei roundtable
Roundtable Discussion on Emerging Trends in Work, Labor, and Employment

Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law

The CJEI team addressed issues surrounding criminal records, third-party background checks and employment discrimination.
BCCE
Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality & Anti-Discrimination Law

CCRPS Presents at U.S. DOL Virtual Convening

The CCRPS team presented their findings of the research project, “Criminal Record Inaccuracies and the Impact of a Record Education Intervention on Employment-Related Outcomes” at a virtual convening with the Department of Labor.
Virtual meeting
CCRPS Presents at U.S. DOL Virtual Convening

In the News

See all news mentions

CJEI Joins with NYC Bar Association on Webinar

Webinar covers strategies for formerly incarcerated people's successful reentry into the workforce.
NYC Bar Association
CJEI Joins with NYC Bar Association on Webinar

CJEI and the Yang Tan Institute Welcome Pinkerton Fellow

Pinkerton Fellow Marco Tang. Mr. Tang, a student at CUNY’s John Jay College, will be working for a year with CJEI and YTI in a variety of areas.
John Jay College Exterior
CJEI and the Yang Tan Institute Welcome Pinkerton Fellow

Cannabis Careers for Justice-Impacted

Timothy McNutt, Director of ILR's Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, participated in the NYS AFL-CIO’s Union Strong Podcast about “Adult-Use Cannabis – Building a new industry from the ground up in a way that will raise revenue, create good union jobs, and address social, racial, and economic equity."
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Cannabis Careers for Justice-Impacted

Meet the CJEI Team

Esta R. Bigler, Esq.

  • Director, Labor and Employment Law Programs, ILR School
Esta Bio

Esta Bigler, Esq., as Director of Cornell University ILR’s Labor and Employment Law Program, uses her extensive background in labor and employment law to convene conferences and forums studying the

Timothy McNutt, Esq.

  • Director, Cornell ILR's Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative
Tim McNutt

Timothy McNutt, Esq., as Director of Cornell ILR’s Criminal Justice and Employment Initiative, uses his extensive background in criminal law, litigation, and policy to assist peopl

Stephanie Sutow, M.Ed.

  • Program Coordinator
ILR 75th Anniversary Logo

Stephanie Sutow, M.Ed, brings an eclectic background to CJEI.

Support CJEI

Your contribution makes a difference

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Make a gift

You can also volunteer your time and expertise

Attorneys can volunteer for pro bono opportunities.

Students can apply for internship opportunities.

 

Contact us at cjei@cornell.edu