John Feinblatt

John Feinblatt
Born
New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materWesleyan University
Catholic University of America
Occupation(s)Gun control activist
Lawyer
Author
Notable workGood Courts: The Case for Problem-Solving Justice (2005)

John Feinblatt is an American gun control activist, lawyer, and author.[1][2] He is the president of both Everytown for Gun Safety, a U.S. gun-violence prevention organization, and The Trace (website), a media outlet founded by Everytown.[3][4]

Early life and education

[edit]

Feinblatt was raised in New York.[5][6] He holds a degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Catholic University of America.[7][8]

Career

[edit]

Feinblatt began his career in the late 1970s as a legal services lawyer.[5] He briefly transitioned to magazine writing before returning to the legal field, where he worked with New York's Victims Services agency until 1991.[5] In that year, Times Square landlords, aiming to support gentrification, proposed a specialized court for minor offenses.[5] The city provided funding and a building on 54th Street, with additional contributions from merchants.[5] He then established the Midtown Community Court, which focuses on quality-of-life offenses, such as prostitution, shoplifting, farebeating and vandalism, with a view toward rehabilitation instead of punishment.[8][2]

During Michael Bloomberg's tenure as the Mayor of New York City, Feinblatt served as the chief policy advisor and criminal justice coordinator.[1] At City Hall, he utilized data analytics to enhance agency operations and provided counsel to Mayor Michael Bloomberg on various policy subjects.[1] Their association started in 2001, when Mayor Bloomberg toured the Center for Court Innovation, which Feinblatt founded in 1996.[1][9][10] Notably, the Center for Court Innovation was awarded the Innovations in American Government award in 1998 by the Harvard Kennedy School.[11]

Previously, Feinblatt worked as a deputy executive director at Safe Horizon, served as a public defender with The Legal Aid Society, and was a research associate at the Vera Institute of Justice.[12][13]

Feinblatt co-authored Good Courts: The Case for Problem-Solving Justice. The book has been reviewed by multiple publications such as the International Journal of Police Science and Management and the Justice System Journal.[14][15]

Personal Life

[edit]

Feinblatt married Jonathan Mintz in one of New York States's first same-sex weddings [16][7] after the Marriage Equality Act (New York) was signed into law in 2011. Their marriage ceremony was officiated by Michael Bloomberg.[16]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Berman, Greg; Feinblatt, John (2005). Good Courts: The Case for Problem-Solving Justice

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Gay, Mara (January 10, 2015). "Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's 'Data Guy' Leads His Gun-Control Campaign" – via www.wsj.com.
  2. ^ a b Kennedy, Randy (May 22, 1996). "Drug Court Seeks End to Revolving-Door Justice (Published 1996)". The New York Times.
  3. ^ "Q&A: Everytown President John Feinblatt on why the gun bill is worth passing". NBC News. June 17, 2022.
  4. ^ Chason, Rachel (2019-01-23). "'You can't be an absolutist': Weighing a 2020 run, Bloomberg talks compromise". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  5. ^ a b c d e Assael, Shaun. "RoboCourt". Wired.
  6. ^ "The Men The Mayor Will Marry: John Feinblatt and Jonathan Mintz". The New York Observer. July 23, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "John Feinblatt and Jonathan Mintz (Published 2011)". The New York Times. July 22, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "COMMUNITY COURT ON ITS WAY TO HARTFORD". Hartford Courant. February 2, 1997.
  9. ^ "John Feinblatt". Governing. Retrieved 2024-08-07.
  10. ^ https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-new-york-city-mayor-michael-bloombergs-data-guy-leads-his-gun-control-campaign-1420854150
  11. ^ "John Feinblatt". Governing.
  12. ^ "John Feinblatt | Aspen Ideas". Aspen Ideas Festival.
  13. ^ Eligon, John; Chen, David W. (April 10, 2009). "In City Hall, Considering a Candidacy for Prosecutor (Published 2009)". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Al-Feel, Ali Adnan (August 20, 2006). "Good Courts: The Case for Problem-Solving Justice". International Journal of Police Science & Management. 8: 344.
  15. ^ Nemacheck, Christine L. (2007). "Review of Good Courts: The Case for Problem-Solving Justice". The Justice System Journal. 28 (2): 247–250. ISSN 0098-261X. JSTOR 27977343.
  16. ^ a b "Gay, Jewish New Yorkers: Mazel tov to the newlyweds!". Jewish Women's Archive.