On Wednesday, June 26, Policy and Advocacy Associate Caitlyn Passaretti submitted testimony to a joint oversight hearing for the New York City Council’s Committee on Children and Youth and Committee on Criminal Justice. On behalf of CCC, this testimony urges the City Council to push for investments in the city budget that restore the cuts to the alternative to incarceration/detention programs and mentoring supports for youth. These programs and services are critical investments in community safety and promote future well-being for our city’s children and youth.

Read the testimony below.

Testimony of Caitlyn Passaretti, Policy and Advocacy Associate
Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York
Submitted to New York City Council Committee on Children and Youth and Committee on Criminal Justice
June 26th, 2024

Since 1944, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York has served as an independent, multi-issue child advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring every New York child is healthy, housed, educated, and safe. CCC does not accept or receive public resources, provide direct services, or represent a sector or workforce; our priority is improving outcomes for children and families through civic engagement, research, and advocacy. We document the facts, engage, and mobilize New Yorkers, and advocate for solutions to ensure the wellbeing of New York’s children, families, and communities.

We thank Chair Stevens, Chair Nurse and all the members of the Children and Youth Committee and Criminal Justice Committee for holding this oversight hearing on the Administration’s Youth Decarceration Plan. We must restore the cuts to the alternative to incarceration/detention programs and mentoring supports because we need to have robust services in place within our communities. The young people currently detained have complex needs, and to support their reentry and success, we must build systems of support.

Promote Community Safety and Wellbeing by Investing in Community Services and Resources

To promote community safety and wellbeing, our city and our state must invest in community services and resources. Unfortunately, the City FY24 November Plan and the FY25 Preliminary Budget include cuts to probation programs and alternatives to incarceration programs that have proven to be successful in supporting re-entry and connecting young people to mentorship and services. Failing to provide robust reentry services or supportive probation programs will harm our youth and is counterproductive to building safe communities.

Our city must support creative, non-carceral solutions to violence. We therefore urge the Mayor and the City Council to utilize the city budget to invest heavily in community programming, parks, housing, youth sports, employment, behavioral health, and other resources that strengthen youth and communities. CCC recommends the following investments to enhance youth supports and decrease criminalization of young people:

• Expanding investment in Cure Violence, credible messenger programs, youth engagement programs and other community-rooted programs that employ a public health approach to community safety
• Restore the $17 million to nonprofit programs provided in NYC This cut was made at the end of Fiscal Year 2024 city budget cycle.
• Restore the $1.6 million to the Arches program, a transformative mentorship program to support 16–24-year-olds; cuts were included in both the November plan and Preliminary budget
• Restore the $2.6 million to the Next Steps program, a mentorship program for young people; cuts were included in the November plan
• Close Rikers and ensure the City remains on track with the closure plan
• Redirect funding from school policing into opportunities for young people in schools and communities
• Restore the $22 million cut for New York Public Libraries
• Reject the restoration of the Uniformed Police Academy Classes ($62.3 million in FY25, increasing to $75.7 million in FY26, $77.9 million in FY27, and $79.4 million in FY28)
• Reject the proposed $225 million for a new police training facility in Queens

We also demand an end to the Quality-of-Life Violations policing initiative that began in March 2022, led by the Mayor’s office and NYPD. This is a new iteration of broken windows policing, a policy that has been extensively proven to be ineffective and to further criminalizes Black and Brown New Yorkers. We have seen the direct impact of this policy in the increased number of arrests and detainments, which have disproportionately targeted Black New Yorkers.ⁱ This discriminatory policy should be immediately halted. Furthermore, the budget cuts youth services but restores funding for police academy classes. It is urgent that our city leaders shift investments away from criminalization and towards youth and community resources.

State Advocacy

Last fall marked five years since Raise the Age was first implemented across New York State, ending a shameful chapter in our history of prosecuting 16- and 17-year olds as adults regardless of the offense. Prior to the passing of this legislation, thousands of 16- and 17-year-olds were held in dangerous conditions on Rikers Island and other adult jails across the state. Moreover, these youth were systematically locked-out of age-appropriate services in family court programs designed to meet the needs of adolescents and avoid the barriers of an adult criminal record.

Youth crime has consistently decreased since Raise the Age implementation in 2018. In New York City alone, since 2013 there has been a 48% decrease in adolescent arrests for serious offenses. Evidence from implementation across the State clearly shows how the law has improved community safety and youth well-being.

Despite making up half of the state’s youth justice system population, New York City is currently excluded from accessing the Raise the Age funding because the City exceeds the tax cap prescribed by state law. However, it is possible to access this funding by submitting a waiver of hardship, indicating that our city and our programs need the resources that are available through the Raise the Age law. New York City accounts for half of the state’s youth justice system population and should be able to access more funding.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

ⁱ Bhat, S. (2023) NYPD Quality-of-Life Crackdown Sends Thousands to Criminal Court, Undoing Landmark Reforms. The City. Accessed: https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/09/12/nypd-quality-of-life-crackdown-enforcement- skyrockets-criminal-court/