File #: Res 0820-2011    Version: * Name: Administration for Children’s Services Division of Youth and Family Justice to require all juveniles detained in NYC facilities during the summer months to attend school.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Juvenile Justice
On agenda: 5/11/2011
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling on the Administration for Children’s Services Division of Youth and Family Justice to require all juveniles detained in New York City facilities during the summer months to attend school.
Sponsors: Deborah L. Rose, Margaret S. Chin, Inez E. Dickens, Daniel Dromm , Mathieu Eugene, Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Lewis A. Fidler, Vincent J. Gentile, Sara M. Gonzalez, Letitia James, G. Oliver Koppell, Darlene Mealy, Rosie Mendez, Annabel Palma, Albert Vann, Jumaane D. Williams, Ruben Wills, James Vacca, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Peter A. Koo
Council Member Sponsors: 20
Res. No. 820
 
 
Resolution calling on the Administration for Children's Services Division of Youth and Family Justice to require all juveniles detained in New York City facilities during the summer months to attend school.
 
 
By Council Members Rose, Chin, Dickens, Dromm, Eugene, Ferreras, Fidler, Gentile, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Mealy, Mendez, Palma, Vann, Williams, Wills, Vacca, Mark-Viverito and Koo
 
Whereas, The Administration for Children's Services Division of Youth and Family Justice ("DYFJ") is charged with coordinating the detention of the City's court involved youth; and
Whereas, During the City's 2010 fiscal year there were a total of 5,387 youth placed in detention with an average length of stay of 26 days; and
Whereas, As part of the services provided by DYFJ, youth in detention receive education services administered by the Department of Education ("DOE") in coordination with DYFJ through its Passages Academy; and
Whereas, Passages Academy is a full-time educational program that tailors its curriculum to the needs of youth in detention and is open during the regular DOE school year as well as for summer school; and
Whereas, According to assessments conducted by DOE, ninety-four percent of residents in juvenile detention read below grade level and forty percent read below a fourth grade level; and
Whereas, Recent studies conducted by The National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center indicate that youth with learning difficulties have a higher propensity for gang membership; and
Whereas, These studies also show that academic outcomes achieved during incarceration, including reading improvement, reduce recidivism; and
Whereas, Juveniles in detention during the summer should have mandatory education services provided to them, no matter their standing, in order to increase their level of education and make their time in detention more productive; and
Whereas, Mandatory classes during the summer months will assist detained youth by ensuring additional education services; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the Administration for Children's Services Division of Youth and Family Justice to require all juveniles detained in New York City facilities during the summer months to attend school.
 
WJH
LS 2033
4/21/11