Reducing crime and incarceration by providing court-involved participants and community members with a variety of services and prevention programs.
The Staten Island Justice Center provides an array of programs for both young people and adults impacted by the justice system.
Services include individual counseling, psychoeducational group programming, youth leadership, mentorship programming, and workforce development training. The Justice Center’s holistic approach aims to prevent the harms that often accompany contact with the criminal legal system while addressing the underlying needs that bring people into court. Our youth programming offers young people leadership development tools and creative opportunities that promote positive engagement with the community.
Project Reset
Project Reset is a pre-arraignment diversion program that utilizes a proportionate and effective response to low-level offending. Through Project Reset, participants avoid a criminal record by completing community-based programming. Project Reset in Staten Island is provided by the Staten Island Justice Center in partnership with the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office. Programming options include interactive groups grounded in the tenants of procedural justice and cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as individual sessions focused on connecting individuals with appropriate community-based services. These sessions give participants space to reflect on their arrest experience and how to avoid further involvement with the criminal justice system.
Pretrial Supervised Release
With support from the City of New York, the Staten Island Justice Center operates a supervised release program for misdemeanor and felony defendants that reduces the reliance on pretrial detention while enhancing the fairness of the justice system. In addition to supervision and case management, the program provides referrals to voluntary community-based or on-site programming.
Alternatives to Incarceration
Staten Island Justice Center offers a number of short and long-term social service options, including clinical intakes and assessments, case management, and specialized programming (community service, Driver Accountability Program, Theft Accountability Program). Service also includes referrals to onsite and community-based services (including psycho-educational programming, job training, counseling, and GED classes). Through these alternative-to-incarceration services, Staten Island Justice Center seeks to better address the underlying causes of peoples’ involvement in the criminal justice system, reducing the likelihood of future involvement and increasing community safety.
Youth Impact
Youth Impact engages youth across New York City and Newark to become transformative leaders in their communities and beyond. Members work in paid internships working to learn leadership skills, prevent youth involvement with the criminal legal system through peer-led diversion, and develop and pilot projects to create positive community impact. Youth Impact aims to hire youth who have been directly impacted by criminal legal systems as interns with the belief that those who have been most impacted are most able to lead, develop meaningful solutions, and influence their peers.
Project READY
Project READY is an alternative-to-detention program that provides case management, after-school programming, and rigorous compliance monitoring for young people with pending delinquency cases in Family Court. Staff use a wide range of engagement strategies for participants and family members to promote compliance. Youth who successfully complete Project READY are more likely to avoid placement and receive community-based dispositions than those who are detained.
The Spot
Our Staten Island Justice Center is home to one of New York City’s Family Enrichment Centers – resident-led spaces where parents and children can find support, community, and free services. Dubbed “The Spot” by residents, the Family Enrichment Center at our Staten Island Justice Center hosts holiday and birthday celebrations, laundry services, and a community closet where up to 100 residents each week can find clean clothing, shoes, food, household goods, and more. On Thanksgiving and Christmas, we distributed free meals and gifts to hundreds of families and children at the Spot.
AIM
AIM (Advocate, Intervene, and Mentor) is an Alternative to Placement program that provides one-on-one mentoring for young people between the ages of 13 and 18. AIM is designed to help participants address age-specific needs, develop positive social bonds, and engage with their community in a positive and meaningful way. Mentees are paired with a Youth Engagement Specialist (Mentor) that supports their growth and development throughout the duration of the program. AIM is a program in conjunction with the New York City Department of Probation, to reduce crime and recidivism, as well as promote lifelong gains for court-involved youth.
Works Plus
In collaboration with the New York City Council and the Department of Probation, Works Plus engages Staten Island youth and young adults ages 16 to 30 who are affected by gun violence in pro-social activities that focus on educational advancement, life skills, and job readiness. Each year, over two dozen people from Staten Island engaged with Works Plus.
Youth Wellness Initiative
The Staten Island Justice Center’s Youth Wellness Initiative provides social-emotional support and learning opportunities to youth 13-18 who are court-involved or at risk of court involvement. Services are provided by trained mental health professionals and youth engagement specialists. Youth Wellness participants have access to short-term individual counseling as well as social and emotional learning workshops.
What kind of programming would proposed Staten Island community justice center have?
Staten Island’s first-ever community justice center is set to open on the grounds of a former courthouse, bringing an innovative model that the Center for Justice Innovation has implemented across the city to a new borough. Each community justice center reflects the unique needs of the community. The new justice center in Staten Island would provide services and positive activities for youth, people involved in the justice system, and the borough as a whole. Senior Director of Court Reform Kelly Mulligan shares details on what’s in store at the upcoming community justice center.
Summer in New York brings people out into the neighborhood for fun, joy, and connection. As the season draws to a close, take a look at some summer events we hosted to share resources with the community and build relationships.
