Brooklyn State Senator Kevin Parker ( Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Kensington, Windsor Terrace, and Park Slope) yesterday lauded Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s $160 million initiative targeting at-risk youth to find positive opportunities in their communities, and provide citizens who enter into the criminal justice system the opportunity to rehabilitate, return home, and contribute to their communities.
The Governor’s “Right Priorities” initiative contains seven distinct strategies that will assist those at risk, including investing $100 million to support failing and high need schools into community schools, thereby breaking the trend of higher crime rates among undeserved youth.
This new investment in community school transformation will build on the Governor’s 2013 initiative that invested $30 million to develop 62 community schools in high-need school districts. Schools transforming into community schools were allowed to use grant funds of up to $500,000 to support activities such as the hiring of a community school coordinator, before-and-after school mentoring, summer learning activities, and referrals and connections to medical, dental, and other social services.
The initiative also provides about 1,000 individuals over five years with the opportunity to receive college-level instruction and earn an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, or industry-recognized certificate; provide six months of transitional support to person’s after their release; and especially important in this initiative, seeking justice for 16 and 17 year olds who currently under New York State law, are tried as adults in criminal proceedings.
“Statistics show that the number of incarcerated men of color have tripled over the years compared to their counterparts,” said Parker. “I believe the only way we can curtail those statistics and prevent our young people from entering and re-entering the prison system is to attack the issue from the root of the problem.
“I applaud Governor Cuomo for his effort in putting forth such a forward-thinking program that not only addresses the obstacles formerly incarcerated people face upon re-entering society, but will allow inmates access to education while in prison.”
Another important strategy in this new initiative for 16 and 17 year olds in the system is the governor’s effort to restrict access to criminal records for pardoned individuals. Last year, Cuomo offered conditional pardons to people convicted of nonviolent offenses at age 16 and 17 who have been crime-free for 10 years. Currently, the Office of Court Administration (OCA) sells criminal history information to individuals and companies. Under Cuomo’s new program, the court system will no longer sell criminal history information pertaining to such individuals.
“For all the progress we have made, far too many of our young people end up trapped in our criminal justice system with no path out – and it’s time that changed,” said Cuomo. “It can’t be that every door is closed except the revolving one back into prison. We must break this vicious cycle for the betterment and safety of our communities and countless families across the state.”
