Carla Sinclair

Brooklyn, New York

A Brooklyn-born-and-based writer with an interest in the intersection between local government, policy implementation, and communications.

Carla Sinclair

Brooklyn, New York

A Brooklyn-born-and-based writer with an interest in the intersection between local government, policy implementation, and communications.

Institute Intelligence, November 2024: Research Symposium recap, building public sector data, and more
Greetings! We’re so excited to share that Institute Intelligence is now coming to you monthly, instead of once a quarter. With so much happening across our projects, it only seemed right to keep you better up-to-date on the work we're doing across the cou
CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG)
Opinion: Diversifying New York City’s Mental Health Workforce
“This field is underpaid, understaffed, and entering and progressing within it is only available to those who have the means for conventional schooling, and not those with the lived experience which might serve them better.” CityViews are readers’ opinion
City Limits
New York's College-in-Prison Prospects… and Challenges
New York's College-in-Prison Prospects… and Challenges October 02, 2024 Each fall, millions of students start heading to class at colleges and universities across the country, seeking to gain important credentials they can use to further their career or e
RealClearEducation
CUNY ISLG & NYC Opportunity Launch Grassroots Policy Incubator for Local Leaders to Address Challenges in their Community
Up to three grassroots leaders or community organizations will be awarded up to $40K and participate in a six-month policy incubation process to develop solutions to policy gaps or challenges facing NYC communities. The CUNY Institute for State & Local Go
CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG)
WATCH: Criminal Legal Reform in New York, Five Years In
In April 2024, the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance partnered with the Data Collaborative for Justice at John Jay College for a two-part talk series, “Criminal Legal Reform in New York: Five Years In.” The talk series brought together researche
CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance (ISLG)
Criminal Legal Reforms Didn’t Lead to Violent Crime. Saying They Did Distracts from Real Solutions.
It has been widely reported that violent crime — homicides in particular — has increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the numbers bear that out: According to FBI data, 2020 saw a 5 percent increase in violent crime and a 30 percent rise i
Governing
CASES Staff Get Back to Serving Clients in the Courthouse
Most days prior to the pandemic, the halls of the Manhattan Criminal Court at 100 Centre Street bustled with judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, people standing trial, and many others squeezing past and around each other as they moved through the building. CASES’ Court Representatives navigated this crowd, often literally running between courtrooms to advocate for eligible individuals to be diverted from jail and prison sentences to a CASES program in the community.
“An Extraordinary Situation”: CASES Facilitates Rapid, Safe Reentry From Rikers During COVID-19
Luckily, a robust program to support this kind of release was already in place. along with the Center for Court Innovation and the Criminal Justice Agency—has provided supervised release as an alternative to bail/pretrial detention for individuals awaiting trial. Consistent with the needs of many clients served by this CASES Pretrial Services program, CASES expected that the people identified for early release from Rikers during the COVID-19 pandemic would have needs related to unemployment, homelessness, and/or behavioral health.
From Prison to Work: STRIVE Job-Readiness Training Leads to a Living Wage for Some in San Diego
Reentering the community can be a jarring experience. Second Chance, a San Diego-based organization, demonstrates how STRIVE job readiness workshops can have a life-changing impact. “I’m here to help you discover what was already inside of you this entire time.”. Workshop facilitator Rebecca Eusey paces in front of a room full of participants in the STRIVE workshop she’s leading.
Importance of Criminal Justice Reform and Second Chances Highlighted in Governors’ Speeches
This year, an unprecedented 20 new governors took office in January, putting their states on paths toward new ideas, initiatives, and priorities. These newly elected officials, along with their incumbent peers, have taken the first months of 2019 to outline their administrations’ focuses and goals in inaugural and State of the State speeches.
President Trump Signs First Step Act into Law, Reauthorizing Second Chance Act
President Trump signed into law bipartisan legislation today to reform the federal prison system. The First Step Act, which passed the U.S. Senate 87-12 and the House 358-36, will usher in significant changes to federal sentencing laws as well as improvements to programs that aim to reduce recidivism and provide support to people who are involved in the criminal justice system.
Judge Kevin Burke Takes on Record Clearance from the Bench
In Minnesota District Court Judge Kevin Burke’s mind, “a society that wants to grow needs to realize that people will make mistakes, and that many of those people deserve a second chance.”. "Decent people can end up in a situation in which the consequences of having a public record of your misdeed vastly outweighs its importance to anybody."
Seeking New Perspective, Interview Series Gives Firsthand Look at Criminal Record Clearance Experiences
With awareness of the need for criminal justice reform on the rise across the country, hearing stories about people who have criminal records isn’t all that uncommon. But a new interview series is allowing listeners to actually hear how these records have impacted lives, as well as the discourse surrounding criminal record clearance.
War wages on with Sodexo workers’ contract negotiations
Almost all food on campus is prepared, cooked and served by members of Sodexo’s workforce, many of whom students have grown to know by name or face. But since June 30 of last year, they’ve been working without a contract. Binghamton University Sodexo workers are represented by Albany-based United Professional and Service Employees Union (UPSEU) 1222.
Pipe Dream, Binghamton University
Pharmacy School may partner with proposed dispensary for medical marijuana research
The Southern Tier may soon be home to a budding new industry, and Binghamton University might help spark it. As part of the Compassionate Care Act passed last July, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) is distributing five licenses by the end of this month which would allow qualified businesses to grow and sell medical marijuana starting in January.
Pipe Dream, Binghamton University
New Yorkers anguished by proliferation of 'supertall' skyscrapers
New York City is known for its iconic skyline -- one that is changing rapidly, whether New Yorkers like it or not. Aptly nicknamed "supertalls," a proliferation of buildings towering well over 800 feet have been cropping up in Manhattan and quickly: since 2005, 16 of the city's tallest buildings have broken ground in the borough, with more on the way.
am New York

About

Carla Sinclair

Adobe InDesign

Asana

Basic HTML/CSS

Canva

Datawrapper

Editing (fluency in Associated Press Style and Chicago Manual of Style)

Google Drive

Google Analytics

MailChimp

Microsoft Office Suite

Qualtrics

Semrush

Squarespace

SurveyMonkey

Bluesky

Facebook

Sprout Social

WordPress

NYC-based writer, editor, designer, and communications strategist with experience in the research, advocacy, nonprofit, journalism, criminal justice, and tech fields. Will excitedly rant about anything regarding the above, but has a soft spot for state/local government policy and its intersection with communications. Also loves (strong) coffee, craft beer, and magical realism novels.

Current: Senior Communications Associate at the CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance. Past: Senior Writer & Communications and Development Associate for CASES; Associate Editor for The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center; Communications Associate for Citizen; Calendar Editor, Editorial Intern for the Brooklyn Paper; Assistant News Editor at Pipe Dream; Communications & Marketing Intern for Diversity Abroad; Editorial Intern for amNewYork.