JONATHAN BLEIWEISS

JONATHAN BLEIWEISS

About Me.

Justice Reformer. Nonprofit Leader. Operations Expert.

After serving as a Deputy Sheriff and then Detective, I found myself in handcuffs. As I fought my way through the courts and over four years of incarceration, my eyes were opened to the injustice and inequities of the broken system of which I had once been a part.

With this realization, as well as my experience on both sides of the law, I created Florida Justice Center to provide free and low-cost lawyers to help others succeed after prison. I'm proud to say that since I founded Florida Justice Center in 2019, my staff and I have helped over 10,000 people with more than 13,000 legal issues.

In May 2024 I left Florida Justice Center to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Cincinnati where I am a PhD student in Criminal Justice and a Dean's Fellow.

I have dedicated my life to helping those marginalized and disenfranchised by the system and to bringing access to justice to underserved communities.

Signature

Personal Information

  • Name Jonathan Bleiweiss
  • Employer University of Cincinnati
  • Job Title PhD Student
  • Education MBA, MSCJ
  • Awards Dean's Fellow
  • Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
  • Hobbies Travel, Wine Tasting
  • Contact Click Here

TESTIMONIALS

My Resume.

EXPERIENCE

  • PRESENT 2024

    PHD STUDENT

    UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

    Doctoral student in Criminal Justice and Dean's Fellow. Interests include reentry best practices, sentencing disparities, restorative justice, collateral consequences, and mental health co-responders.

  • 2024 2019

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    FLORIDA JUSTICE CENTER

    Founder of the first legal aid organization in Florida to focus on assisting justice-impacted people. Oversee nonprofit entity that provides probation, voting rights restoration, and criminal record expungement services. 

  • 2019 2012

    OPERATIONS & EDUCATION

    VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

    Operations:

    Served as chief operating officer of start-up manufacturing and services company from inception to profitability.

    Teaching:

    Taught English and math classes and tutored individuals in Florida State Prisons to prepare them for GED exam.

  • 2011 2002

    DEPUTY SHERIFF & DETECTIVE

    BROWARD SHERIFF'S OFFICE

    Highly decorated former law enforcement officer and detective. Created Homeless Outreach Unit; Served as liaison to the LGBTQIA+ community; Performed nationwide armed fugitive extraditions; and served on Field Force riot and disaster response team.

EDUCATION

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

COMMUNICATING VISION

95%

FUNDRAISING

85%

GRANT WRITING

90%

INSPIRING OTHERS

100%

STRATEGIC PLANNING

90%

OPERATIONS SKILLS

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

85%

IMPLEMENTING TECHNOLOGY

90%

PREPARING BUDGETS

90%

STREAMLINING PROCESSES

95%

Memberships

Criminology, Criminal Justice, & Sociology

Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

Member
2023-Present

Member, Restorative & Community Justice Section
2023-Present

Member, Teaching, Learning, & Scholarship Section
2023 - Present

American Society of Criminology

Member
2023 - Present

Member, Convict Criminology Section
2023 - Present

Member, Critical Criminology & Social Justice Section
2023 - Present

Member, People of Color & Crime Section
2023 - Present

Member, Policing Section
2023 - Present

Member, Public Opinion & Policy Section
2023 - Present

Member, Queer Criminology Section
2023 - Present

American Sociological Association

Member
2023 - Present

Member, Crime, Law, & Deviance Section
2023 - Present

Member, Race, Class, & Gender Section
2023 - Present

Member, Teaching and Learning in Sociology Section
2023 - Present

Higher Education Committees & Memberships

National Conference on Higher Education in Prison

Proposal Reviewer
2023 - Present

Unlock Higher Education

Member
2022-Present

Member, State Subcommittee
2022-Present

Justice Reform Committees & Memberships

Florida Rights Restoration Coalition

Policy Council Member
2022 - 2024

JustLeadership USA

Leading with Conviction Fellow
2021 - 2022

Legal Committees & Memberships

American Bar Association

Member
2023 - Present

Member, Center for Professional Responsibility Division
2023 - Present

Member, Civil Rights & Social Justice Division
2023 - Present

Member, Criminal Justice Division
2023 - Present

Member, Law Practice Division
2023 - Present

Member, Legal Education & Admission to the Bar Division
2023 - Present

Member, Solo, Small Firm, & General Practice Division
2023 - Present

Courts Matter Florida Coalition

Advisory Council Member
2022 - 2024

The Florida Bar

Member, Pro Bono Award Nomination Committee
2020
17th Judicial Circuit

Reentry Committees & Memberships

Palm Beach Reentry Coalition

Member
2022 - Present

Member, Conference Planning Committee
2024 - Present

Umbrella of Hope Miami Reentry Coalition

Founding Member
2022-2023

Founding Chairperson, Access to Technology Subcommittee
2023

Founding Chairperson, Legal Subcommittee
2023

Founding Member, Continuum-of-Care Subcommittee
2023

Voting Rights Committees & Memberships

Florida Election Protection Task Force

Member
2022 - 2024

State Voices Florida

Member
2022 - 2024

Member, Criminal Justice Workgroup
2022 - 2024

Member, Voting Rights Workgroup
2022 - 2024

Other Community Involvement

Catalyst Miami

HEAL Fellow
2021 - 2022
Housing Equity, Advocacy, and Leadership Program

J.M Kaplan Innovation Prize

Grant Reviewer
2023

Awards

Education Awards

Dean's Fellowship

2024 - Present
University of Cincinnati

Reentry Awards

Certificate of Appreciation

Returning Citizen Award

Law Enforcement Awards

Employee of the Year

Employee of the Month

November 2008
February 2006
October 2004
Broward County Sheriff's Office

Distinguished Community Service Award

2008
Broward County Sheriff's Office

Public Safety Special Operations Award

2006
Broward County Sheriff's Office

Lifesaving Award

2005
Broward County Sheriff's Office

Speaking Engagements

Education

Education Unchained: Second Chances and Recovery at FAU

Panelist
Florida Atlantic University
October 2022

Ban the Box at FAU? A Conversation on Unlocking Higher Education Access

Panelist
Florida Atlantic University
April 2022

Legal Topics

Allyship in Law: Lived Experience Informing Legal Aid Services

Presenter
Rise Up Conference
September 2024

CLE: Sealing and Expungement for Attorneys

Rights Restoration Training for Attorneys

Rights Restoration Training for Law Students

One Less Barrier: Removing Legal Obstacles for Returning Citizens

Panelist
Palm Beach County Reentry Summit
October 2022

Diversity in Law

Presenter
Clearwater Bar Association Annual Diversity Symposium
March 2021

Reentry Topics

The Importance of Using People-First Language

Presenter
Palm Beach Reentry Summit
October 2024

Multidisciplinary Reentry Teams

Presenter
Palm Beach Reentry Summit
October 2024

Emerging Leaders Cincinnati: Success Stories

Panelist
JustLeadershipUSA
April 2024

Struggles & Triumphs: An Honest Dialogue with Formerly Incarcerated People

Panelist
Florida Atlantic University
April 2024

Reentry Stories that Inspire

Featured Speaker
Re-Entry One Changing the Narrative Event
April 2023

Hiring Hidden Talent: Fair Chance Employment

Featured Speaker
CareerSource Brevard
December 2022

Policing

Quest for Peace: The Police -- To Defund or Defend

Panelist
Miami Dade College
November 2021

The Talk: What Black Mothers Should Tell Their Kids About the Police

Organizer & Moderator
Florida Justice Center
May 2021

Voting Rights

Advocates Rally Saturday as Early Voting Nears End in Duval County

Interviewee
News4Jax WJXT-4
April 2022

Other Topics

Navigating Careers in the Nonprofit Sector with Lived Experience

Roundtable Speaker
American Society of Criminology Annual Conference
November 2024

The Papa Keith Show

Guest
103.5 The Beat Miami
July 2021

Hill Day

Advocate to Congress on Pell Grant Reinstatement
Vera Institute of Justice
July 2020

Contact me.

LET'S TALK