John Feinblatt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Wesleyan University Catholic University of America |
| Occupation(s) | Gun control activist Lawyer Author |
| Notable work | Good 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 funded by Everytown. [3] [4]
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]
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] Feinblatt was selected to head this initiative. Eventually, he established the Midtown Community Court in the 1990s. [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 through a data terminal system Feinblatt developed for the Center for Court Innovation, which he founded in 1996. [1] Notably, the Center for Court Innovation was awarded the Innovations in American Government award in 1998 by the Harvard Kennedy School. [9]
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. [10] [11]
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. [12] [13]
Feinblatt married Bradley Mintz in one of New York States's first same-sex Jewish weddings [14] [7] after the Marriage Equality Act (New York) was signed into law in 2011. Their marriage ceremony was officiated by Michael Bloomberg. [14]