<p>The Black and Latina daughter of a working-class family, Victoria Pratt learned to treat everyone with dignity, no matter their background. When she became Newark Municipal Court’s chief judge, she knew well the inequities that poor, mentally ill, Black, and brown people faced in the criminal justice system.</p><p>Judge Victoria has gained national and international acclaim for her commitment to reform the criminal justice system. As the Chief Judge in Newark Municipal Court in Newark, New Jersey, she spent years gaining a deep understanding of how justice could be delivered to individuals in a manner that increased their trust in the legal system and changed their behavior. While presiding over Newark Community Solutions, the Community Court Program, she used creative problem solving to provide alternatives to jail to low-level offenders.</p><p>She’s been called a pioneer in procedural justice—a simple, proven approach to transforming our court system using the power of dignity and respect. She has worked with jurisdictions across the nation, and as far as Dubai, Ukraine, England, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico. Her viral TED Talk, How Judges Can Show Respect, has been translated into 11 languages, has over one million views and a Facebook clip with an astounding 28 million views.</p><p>Judge Pratt’s work has been featured in <em>The Guardian</em> in an article titled “The Simple Idea that Could Transform U.S. Criminal Justice,” and she’s appeared on MSNBC’s <em>Melissa Harris Perry Show</em>, the Emmy-award winning PBS show<em> Due Process—Community Court: A Kinder, Gentler Way?</em> and NPR’s <em>Fresh Air with Terry Gross</em>. Her book, <em>The Power of Dignity: How Transforming Justice Can Heal Our Communities</em>, was published in 2022 with a foreword from Senator Cory Booker.</p><p>She now champions criminal justice reform through her<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(124, 131, 137);"> </span>consulting firm Pratt Lucien Consultants, LLC, advising federal, state and local governments in the U.S. and internationally on restoring respect to their processes. Previously a full-time Professor of Professional Practice at Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice and a frequent visiting professor at Rutgers Law School, Judge Pratt has served as chair of the advisory board of the Center for Court Innovation since 2018. A graduate of Rutgers University, Rutgers Law School-Newark, Pratt is licensed to practice in New Jersey, New York and to appear before the U.S. Supreme Court.</p>
Criminal Justice Reform Activist; Former Chief Judge, Newark, NJ; Author of <em>The Power of Dignity</em>
<ul><li><strong>The Power of Dignity</strong></li><li>Judge Pratt is celebrated for her radically respectful and highly effective approach to community and jurisprudence. She shows corporate leaders and business audiences how to leverage the principles highlighted in her book, <em>The Power of Dignity</em>, within their organizations. Leaders will learn to see beyond the surface to solve problems. Teams will learn the value of approaching challenges with curiosity and common sense. With actionable guidelines, Judge Pratt shows organizations why prioritizing dignity and respect is the secret to building a culture of trust.</li><li><strong>Why What We Do Matters</strong></li><li>In the halls of justice around the world, how can we ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect? A pioneering judge in New Jersey, Victoria Pratt shares the principles of "procedural justice" -- four simple, thoughtful steps that redefined the everyday business of her courtroom in Newark, changing lives along the way. During this talk, she takes you on a journey of changing the hearts and minds of those who work in and encounter the justice system. "When the court behaves differently, naturally people respond differently," Pratt says. "We want people to enter our halls of justice and know that justice will be served there." This respectful approach to justice, supported by data, which focuses on the interpersonal treatment the public receives throughout the process, ultimately improves the public’s trust in the justice system and increases compliance with the law. </li><li><strong>Women’s Empowerment: Unleashing Your Gifts</strong></li><li>In this riveting and motivational keynote, Judge Victoria Pratt unpacks what it means to unleash one’s gifts – to up-level ourselves, society, industry, and the world. As the daughter of a Dominican beautician and an African American garbage man, Judge Pratt learned to treat everyone she meets with dignity and respect – she shares how this gift has shaped the story of her life. Judge Pratt offers three lessons with actionable takeaways about dealing with criticism, responding to hearing ‘no’, and how to take action in the face of failure.</li></ul>