Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced a new and improved approach to how the criminal justice system treats those sentenced to community service.
Under the new model, his Community Service Office has been renamed the Brooklyn Community Resource Empowerment Center and now offers GED classes, job training courses and mental health services to individuals who are sentenced to court-mandated community service.
“I am committed to holding offenders accountable in ways that are meaningful because putting individuals on a positive track reduces recidivism and promotes public safety,” said Gonzalez.
The first-of-its-kind Center will be located inside of the Brooklyn Criminal Court and will offer additional support resources, including HIV testing, housing assistance and referrals to community-based organizations.
This new approach will evaluate every defendant who has been sentenced to community service during the intake process. Those with stable lives or those who don’t request any services continue to do the traditional service – cleaning assignments in parks, before and after parades and in jail institutions.
Those who request other services or opportunities are referred to need-based programs, including GED classes; a Workforce Center that offers job and computer skills training, assistance in looking for employment, OSHA certifications and other services; mental health services; and additional opportunities that will be added in the future. Participating in these programs for the length of the court-mandated community service fulfills the individuals’ obligations.
I’ve now expanded this approach to court-mandated community service. Our new Community Resource Empowerment Center, which embodies the core principals of my Justice 2020 plan, provides an array of opportunities for people to better their lives and end their criminal cases with tools that would help them succeed,” aded Gonzalez.
The new center is an extension of Gonzalez’s Justice 2020 initiative that takes a comprehensive and holistic approach to implementing a new model of criminal justice through social services and support programs rather than the traditional sentencing approach of the criminal justice system.
Empirical research has long documented that a supportive social network that meets individuals’ basic needs is the best crime prevention strategy. This new approach will create a positive turning point in individuals’ lives and provide the type of resources – employment, housing, community engagement – that have been shown to prevent criminal justice involvement.
