A New Alternative For Juvenile Offenders

The Juvenile Justice Initiative, which New York City started in February 2007, is an alternative sentencing program for juvenile offenders. The program sends medium-risk offenders back to their families and provides intensive therapy. The city says that in just a year, it has seen significant success for the juveniles enrolled, as well as cost savings from the reduced use of residential treatment centers.

Until the Juvenile Justice Initiative, family court judges had few options for dealing with youngsters convicted of less-serious crimes. They could place them on probation and hope for the best, or send them to upstate residential centers. The decision would typically depend as much on the gravity of the crime as on the stability of the child’s family. Judges are more likely to send a child into state custody if the home situation is complicated or unsafe.