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A career public defender now runs NYC criminal justice, and the job is closing Rikers

Mayor Mamdani has appointed Justine Olderman, former Bronx Defenders executive director, as NYC's new Criminal Justice Coordinator to help close Rikers.

By Bushwick Daily News Desk

June 5, 2026 · 3 min read

Studio portrait of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a dark suit, white shirt and navy polka-dot tie against a black backdrop
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who appointed Justine Olderman as the city's Criminal Justice Coordinator on June 5, 2026. Dmitryshein / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
News East Bronx

A career public defender now runs NYC criminal justice, and the job is closing Rikers

Mayor Mamdani has appointed Justine Olderman, former Bronx Defenders executive director, as NYC's new Criminal Justice Coordinator to help close Rikers.

East Bronx · · 3 min read
A career public defender now runs NYC criminal justice, and the job is closing Rikers
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Met FreshMet Fresh

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani named Justine Olderman, a longtime public defender and NYU law professor, as the city’s Criminal Justice Coordinator on June 5.

Olderman will report to First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan and run the day-to-day operations of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. The job has her working with district attorneys, public…

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Filed underBronx Defenders / Criminal Justice / Justine Olderman / NYC / Public Defense / Rikers Island / Zohran Mamdani

Bushwick Daily News Desk. Neighborhood news, politics, real estate, and business coverage produced by the Bushwick Daily newsroom.

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Neighborhood news, politics, real estate, and business coverage produced by the Bushwick Daily newsroom.

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