File #: Res 0973-2016    Version: * Name: NYC Administration of Children’s Services to fund and Criminal Court Judges to use the Positive Alternative Towards Home program.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed (End of Session)
Committee: Committee on Juvenile Justice
On agenda: 2/5/2016
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the New York City Administration of Children's Services to fund and Criminal Court Judges to use the Positive Alternative Towards Home program.
Sponsors: Fernando Cabrera , Ydanis A. Rodriguez
Council Member Sponsors: 2
Attachments: 1. February 5, 2016 - Stated Meeting Agenda with Links to Files
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/31/2017*Fernando Cabrera City Council Filed (End of Session)  Action details Meeting details Not available
2/10/2016*Fernando Cabrera City Council Re-referred to Committee by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
2/5/2016*Fernando Cabrera City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
2/5/2016*Fernando Cabrera City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Res. No. 973

 

Resolution calling upon the New York City Administration of Children’s Services to fund and  Criminal Court Judges to use the Positive Alternative Towards Home program.

 

By Council Members Cabrera and Rodriguez

 

                     Whereas, In April 2011, the New York City Administration of Children’s Services (“ACS”) began a pilot program called Positive Alternative Towards Home (“PATH”); and

                     Whereas, The PATH program involves using electronic monitoring so that youth who would normally be in secure detention as alleged Juvenile Offenders (“JO’s”) can return to the community as they await adjudication; and

                     Whereas, Many young offenders can be effectively rehabilitated through community-based supervision and intervention; and

                     Whereas, The PATH program includes support and supervision from community-based organizations; and

                     Whereas, Residential care is costly and community based alternative programs that

divert juvenile offenders from residential care are cost effective and improve outcomes for children; and

                     Whereas, The goal of PATH is to keep youth in the community pending adjudication while minimizing risk to the community; and

                     Whereas, PATH is a performance-based program where youth can significantly influence their outcome based on their behavior; and

                     Whereas, An electronic monitoring device is used to measure the youth’s compliance with curfew and other court-ordered conditions and restrictions, as well as to monitor school and program attendance; and

                     Whereas, The PATH program was piloted by Judge Eduardo Padro in the Manhattan Supreme Court in 2011 and has since been applied to about 35 young people with an approximate 50% success rate; and

                     Whereas, According to testimony by ACS representatives at a hearing of the Council’s Juvenile Justice Committee on September 25, 2015, any Supreme Court Judge can use this program but Judge Padro is the only Supreme Court Judge in New York City who uses the program today; and

                     Whereas, There is concern that the PATH program will end when Judge Padro retires this year; and

                     Whereas, The PATH program is in line with ACS’ efforts to step down youth from secure detention to non-secure detention as well as from detention to community-based alternatives; and

                     Whereas, It must be a priority for New York City to maintain public safety while providing effective alternatives to incarceration that allow court involved youth to remain safely with their families in their communities; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Administration for Children’s Services to fund and Criminal Court Judges to use the PPositive Alternative Towards Home program.

 

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BG

LS 6351

12/10/15