On Wednesday, March 18, Senior Policy Associate Caitlyn Passaretti submitted testimony to the NYC Council FY27 Preliminary Budget Oversight Hearing on criminal justice. On behalf of CCC, the testimony urges City leaders to support alternatives to incarceration and reentry program for young New Yorkers, the well-established benefits of these programs and calling out the current lack of investments.

Read the testimony below.

Testimony of Caitlyn Passaretti, Senior Policy Associate
Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York
Submitted to New York City Council FY27 Preliminary Budget Oversight Hearing
Public Safety Committee
March 18, 2026

For over 80 years, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York (CCC) has been an independent voice for children advancing child and family well-being through research, advocacy, and civic engagement. With deep expertise in data, policy and child-serving systems, CCC champions proven solutions and mobilizes allies to secure reforms that improve child outcomes and promote equity. CCC drives systems change to ensure every child is healthy, housed, educated, and safe.

We would like to thank Chair Feliz and all the members of the City Council Committee on Public Safety for holding today’s important hearing on the FY27 Preliminary Budget, and how to improve the delivery of essential services and programs for NYC youth and young adults to build sustainable public safety practices.

Restore Alternatives to Incarceration and Supportive Programming for Youth and Young Adults

Extensive research demonstrates the positive impacts of Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) and reentry programs, including lowering recidivism and crime.[1] Moreover, studies estimate between $3.46-$5.54 in returns for every dollar invested in ATI programs in addition to reduced costs for the criminal justice system and better community health outcomes.[2]

Despite the well-established benefits of these programs, since 2023, the City Administration has cut millions from probation programs proven to support re-entry by connecting young people to mentorship and services. Failing to provide robust reentry services or supportive probation programs will harm youth and is counterproductive to building safe communities.

CCC supports the recommendations of the New York City Youth Justice Coalition, including the following investments and restorations in the FY27 Budget:

• Restore and invest $4.1 million for the IMPACT program
• Restore and baseline $5 million for the NextSTEPs program
• Invest $40 million for the Community Justice Reentry Network
• Baseline $2.4 million with a cost-of-living adjustment to each new year of funding for the Mentoring and Advocacy Program (MAAP)
• Invest $30 million for NYC’s Assertive Community Engagement and Success (ACES) program to ensure that all young people with risk factors have access to this kind of prevention model
• Maintain current funding for Family Court Alternative to Detention Programs to ensure young people and their families are successfully supported in the community.
• Expand Parent Support Services and create an open door policy for Family Support Services for youth as a prevention intervention
• Invest $8.1 million for the Anti-Gun Violence Employment Program
• Invest $8.5 million to reinstate, expand and fully fund YES services with original work scope as an effective impactful preventive tool
• Invest $59.1 million for ATLAS funding
• Invest $1.6 billion to raise the Cost-Per-Participant funding for youth in detention in COMPASS programming
• Invest $3.2 million for NeON program funding
• Invest $3.7 million for the WorksPlus Program
• Restore and baseline $130,000 for the Adolescent Portable Therapy

Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony.

[1] Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. ATI Report. Accessed: https://criminaljustice.cityofnewyork.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MOCJ-ATI-RNR-Report-2019.pdf
[2] New York State Alternatives to Incarceration and Reentry Coalition (2024). Unlocking Potential: The Role of Community-Based Alternatives in Strengthening Public Safety. Accessed: https://www.lac.org/assets/files/Unlocking-Potential_The-Role-of-Community-Based-Alternatives-in-Strengthening-Public-Safety.pdf