New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Now Partnering with Buffalo, Schenectady and Yonkers Police Departments to Develop and Launch Project

Alternatives to Arrest and Trust Building Programs for Justice-Involved Youth

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that police departments in Buffalo, Schenectady and Yonkers are sharing $1.5 million in federal funding over five years to implement pilot programs designed to provide alternatives to arrest for justice-involved youth and build trust between youth and police in the three cities. New York was one of only seven states to successfully apply for the funding, which will allow each department to address needs of youth who are at-risk of becoming involved with the justice system.  

"New York State is committed to ensuring that our justice system is fair to support our youth and improve public safety for all New Yorkers," Governor Hochul said. "I'm proud to announce this $1.5 million in federal funding, which will support our state's efforts to help law enforcement and community leaders partner together to ensure that our youth have the services and opportunities they need to build healthy futures and safe communities." 

"This critical federal funding announced by Governor Hochul will address crime before it happens through supporting kids in vulnerable communities," said Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado. "I am proud to be a part of an administration that is putting a renewed focus on the issues and challenges facing the youth of New York."

Each police department will receive $514,000 over the next five years and work with the state Division of Criminal Justice Services Office of Youth Justice to tailor pre-arrest diversion and trust-building programming designed to reflect the voice and story of young people who encounter law enforcement most frequently in those communities: runaway and homeless youth, and youth of color. This pilot program is part of Governor Hochul's comprehensive strategy, using federal and state funding, to reduce and prevent gun and violent crime; empower communities; and improve the effectiveness and fairness of the state's criminal and youth justice systems. 

Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, "This programming builds upon Governor Hochul's commitment to meeting needs of all youth, especially those who are most vulnerable, across New York State. I commend police officials in Buffalo, Schenectady and Yonkers for their willingness to partner with us and work with stakeholders in their communities to develop and support programs that can have a profound, meaningful and positive effect in the lives of young people." 

Governor Hochul secured $227 million in state funding in the current fiscal year - the largest investment in a generation - for initiatives that support law enforcement and community-based programs, including $28 million for Project Rise (Respond, Invest, Sustain and Empower); $20.9 million for SNUG and community-based gun violence initiatives; and $18.2 million for law enforcement agencies that participate in the state's Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative, among others.  

In applying for the federal grant, staff from the DCJS Office of Youth Justice used data related to arrests, poverty, and runaway youth to identify potential pilot sites. Buffalo, Schenectady and Yonkers will use evidence-based research to help improve services and address challenges through collaborative partnerships, reduce risk factors, enhance protective factors, and increase the opportunity for a youth to be diverted from entering the youth justice system.

Representative Brian Higgins said, "I applaud Governor Hochul's initiative to seek out this federal funding. This project provides an opportunity to dig deeper into the root causes of the behavior and help put young people on a better path forward." 

Representative Paul Tonko said, "One of the most critical ways to bolster public safety is building connections and trust between law enforcement and the residents they work to protect and serve, and particularly with those in underserved communities. I'm pleased that critical federal dollars I worked to advance in Congress to support justice-involved youth and our local police officers are now reaching Schenectady and regions across New York. I'll continue my efforts to deliver key investments that make our communities a safer, better, and brighter place to live."

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said, "Providing diversion and trust-building programming alternatives to arrests in appropriate cases is a way our department can build relationships with the younger members of the public in a positive way. Keeping youth engaged and teaching them life skills is a net positive for the entire community and provides a better future for the individuals." 

Schenectady Police Department Chief Eric Clifford said, "The Schenectady Police Department is honored to be provided the opportunity to collaborate with the Office of Youth Justice to provide alternatives to arrest for justice-involved youth. We recognize that our future depends on the youth of our community, and those that make mistakes should know that their future will not be guided by that mistake, but in their potential. Thank you, Governor Hochul and Commissioner Rosado, for trusting Schenectady to be amongst the leaders for this very important program. " 

Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said, "Thank you to Governor Hochul and to our partners with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services for including the Yonkers Police Department in such an important mission. We are excited to use these much-needed funds to collaborate with the Office of Youth Justice in the ultimate goal of addressing youth crime, placing an emphasis on finding real solutions to the issues in our community. As the Police Department for the third largest city in New York State, we cherish our younger generations and recognize that fostering real connections with our youth is the only way to succeed in policing. " 

While New York State has a formal diversion process, it occurs after an arrest. Those cases are sent to probation departments, which determine whether they proceed to Family Court or can be diverted (also known as adjusted). The programs developed through the grant will allow for the state to pilot pre-arrest diversion or alternative to arrest opportunities, which could potentially increase equity in the justice system and access to alternatives to incarceration while bolstering trust between law enforcement and the community.   

Through the grant, Office of Youth Justice staff will help identify services currently available to homeless and runaway youth in Erie, Schenectady and Westchester counties; explore policy and eligibility requirements to identify barriers for at-risk or justice-involved youth to access programming; and identify any service gaps and needs for those youth. Data also will be used to support implementation of evidence-informed or evidence-based programming to fill those gaps

Office of Youth Justice staff also will assist with implementing trust building in each community, using a newly designed Trust Building facilitator's guide. Modeled after reconciliation and trust building work at the National Network for Safe Communities, the guide helps "communities and law enforcement to come to a position of respect and trust by recognizing real historical harms and experiences, building empathy, and finding common ground and a mutually supported way forward."  

The guide provides a framework and technical assistance to lead facilitators for conducting monthly trust building meetings with stakeholders. Law enforcement leaders and other public officials acknowledge harm done and listen directly to the affected community to create a consensus record of past and present harms; repair the relationship by taking steps to reduce the effects of past harms and prevent them from repeating. The meetings are used to outline lessons learned, develop concrete changes for public safety best practices based on listening and collaboration.  

The federal Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention awarded the funding to New York and five other states. Priority was given to projects in areas with persistently high poverty. Federal performance measures will be used to gauge participation, training, program additions and expansion, and policies created as a result of the pilot program.