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New York

Promising Resources, Policies, and Practices

Goal 8: Post-Secondary Access

Goal 9: Smooth Transitions

ReStart Academy @ Friends

ReStart Academy @ Friends is a full day high school for 16 – 18 year old students who are over-age, under-credited, and either released from custody (Rikers and DYFJ facilities), sentenced to probation, or court-involved. ReStart is a collaborative effort between Friends of the Island and District 79, the alternative school district of the New York City Department of Education.

Prompt Return to School for Students After Court-Ordered Setting

A consent decree settling litigation against the state (J.G. v. Mills, cv-04-5414, E.D.N.Y.) requires that all students returning to New York City schools from placements in the juvenile justice system be promptly enrolled in school after release; credits earned while students were in court-ordered settings get evaluated and awarded on students’ transcripts; and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) receive timely and appropriate special education services and placements.

Court Employment Project (CEP), CASES Youth Programs

According to the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES), which runs the program, CEP “provides a safe and structured alternative to jail or prison for young men and women facing felony charges in New York City. The six-month program utilizes a strengths-based approach to help participants build their skills, address mental health and substance abuse needs and prevent further criminal justice involvement.”  Upon enrollment, participants undergo several assessments to identify their educational and clinical needs.

Career Exploration Project (CExP), CASES Youth Programs

According to the Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services (CASES), which runs the program, CExP is a “workforce development program for court-involved youth that provides employment readiness training, career guidance, and meaningful work experience through paid internships, with the aim of setting … participants on a track of life-long learning and achievement.”  The 14-week program includes employment readiness training followed by an 8- to 10-week internship, during which CASES pays a stipend and offers ongoing training and support to participants

Parent Peer Support Program, Community Connections for Youth

The Parent Peer Support Program is a collaboration between the NYC Department of Probation and Community Connections for Youth (CCFY). The program provides parents of system-involved youth with “peer coaches” who can guide them through their child’s involvement in the juvenile justice system. The parent support group is a product of CCFY’s advocacy for juvenile justice systems to become more responsive to family needs.

Family Ties/Family Works

Family Works is a program that focuses on supporting family cohesion as a component of re-entry and transition planning for people held in prison or jail. The program curriculum includes: Child-friendly Family Centers in visiting rooms where mothers and fathers bond with their children, courses on parenting, family events, outreach to families, and visiting opportunities for their loved ones. 

Department of Education Court Liaisons

District 79, the alternative school district of the New York City Department of Education, places court liaisons in criminal and family courts across New York City to assist court-involved students, their families, and the agencies that support them so that students experience minimal interruption to their education. Liaisons provide current and applicable information that supports court-involved students in achieving their educational goals.  

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