Restorative Justice Village
Lead researcher and designer collaborating with designers at NAC and Gehry Partners, LA County, and nonprofit partners; responsible for stakeholder interviews, GIS mapping, data synthesis, and master plan design narratives.
Team
NAC Architecture design team, Gehry Partners architects, LA County Department of Health Services, LA County Department of Public Works, nonprofit advocacy groups, formerly incarcerated individuals, urban planners, GIS analysts, public policy advisors, community outreach specialists, legal advisors, and city officials.
Scope
Pre-master plan phase
Timeline
8 months
Client
LA County
This project reimagined justice for Los Angeles, where over 20,000 people cycle through jails each year for non-violent offenses. Through extensive research, community engagement, and visionary design, the Restorative Justice Village proposal helped shift city conversations toward community-based care, influencing policymakers, nonprofit strategies, and public advocacy efforts.
Highlights
Led primary research with city agencies, nonprofits, and 30+ interviews with community members and formerly incarcerated individuals.
Developed community-driven frameworks that directly informed City of LA justice reform conversations.
Delivered a scalable master plan vision adopted by public officials and advocacy groups.
Conducted advanced GIS mapping to identify incarceration hotspots, resource deserts, and socioeconomic disparities.
Uncovered critical spatial and policy gaps in community infrastructure, driving actionable solutions.
Mass incarceration continues to destabilize communities in Los Angeles. While the city invests heavily in jails, there is a lack of holistic alternatives that address root causes and support reentry and healing.
"We need a system that sees people as humans, not numbers."
— Formerly incarcerated resident
"I worry every day that my son will be released without support and end up right back inside."
— Family member
"We need more spaces where healing comes before punishment."
— Local community advocate
"As service providers, we are overwhelmed — we need coordinated, long-term solutions."
— Nonprofit worker
"As service providers, we are overwhelmed — we need coordinated, long-term solutions."
— Nonprofit worker
This diagram visualizes the critical gap between incarceration and community reintegration.
Incarceration in LA County disproportionately impacts vulnerable individuals facing mental health issues, homelessness, and poverty — the Restorative Justice Village reimagines this system by centering care, community voices, and rehabilitative services to break the cycle and restore dignity.
"This plan gives hope that there is an alternative to jail that actually strengthens our neighborhoods."
— Local policymaker
For those who have committed serious offenses, they too require humane treatment, while in custody, if unable to find appropriate placements in the community, and as they prepare to re-enter society. To release these individuals onto the street, often in the middle of the night, without support, without care, is inhumane and leaves them with few choices except to return to the behaviors and life that led them to chronic homelessness or incarceration. They will likely require additional services and support to rehabilitate successfully. Upon their release, they and their loved ones will benefit from the supportive services the Master Plan will offer. The Restorative Care Village Master Plan leverages community voices, particularly those who are and have been incarcerated, as well as those communities in which the Master Plan will affect to construct a responsive and rehabilitative environment that meets the needs of vulnerable Angelenos with equity, dignity, humanity, and grace.
Researching existing infrastructure and ongoing development plans helped us identify gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for integrating restorative services into a cohesive community-centered framework.
Mapping existing infrastructure and overlapping master plans helped identify policy conflicts and resource gaps in the study area.
Ongoing development projects and city investments highlighted opportunities to integrate restorative solutions with broader urban growth.
Layering community resources, health services, transportation, and justice facilities revealed disparities and guided the placement of proposed village interventions.
Turning systemic pain points into design opportunities for restorative infrastructure: community centers, transitional housing, urban farming, and public art as tools for healing and reintegration.
Gap analysis chart revealing critical shortages in supportive housing, mental health services, job training, and community spaces — guiding the design of restorative interventions to fill these unmet needs.
Turning systemic pain points into design opportunities for restorative infrastructure: community centers, transitional housing, urban farming, and public art as tools for healing and reintegration.
"This plan finally reflects what our community needs — dignity, support, and real pathways out of the system."
— Community Advocate
"It’s a vision that brings hope and healing, turning barriers into opportunities for connection and growth."
— Formerly Incarcerated Individual
A system map illustrating the holistic journey from incarceration to community reintegration, highlighting how the Restorative Justice Village provides transitional assistance, therapy, job training, and housing — bridging gaps between correctional systems and long-term community support.
This project strengthened my ability to navigate complexity, lead cross-functional collaboration, and translate research into clear, actionable design solutions. It reinforced empathy, storytelling, and systems thinking — all skills I now apply to designing user-centered digital products that drive real impact.