During this same time period, CCHR's Community Relations Bureau opened its first permanent Community Service Center in Staten Island; instituted a major initiative informing immigrant employees about the protections they have against employment discrimination under the law, as well as training employers on the Human Rights Law; developed community and peer mediation services, including the training of middle and high school students to be peer mediators; and expanded CCHR's Project Equal Access Program and the Pre-Purchase and Mortgage Counseling services.

In the coming year, the Commission's Law Enforcement Bureau will focus on resolving the Commission's remaining “older” cases in order to bring a just resolution without further delay. At the end of FY 2002, there were 1,168 cases seven years or older. By the end of FY 2003, that number decreased to 116 cases and as of early 2004, the number of cases over seven years old dropped to 44.

The Commission will also increase its testing efforts, uncovering systemic discrimination in all areas covered by the Human Rights Law. We recently joined with Princeton University in a study examining widespread employment discrimination that the previously incarcerated face, as well as locating employers who have exemplary records in hiring the previously incarcerated.

The Community Relations Bureau will continue to work with immigrant communities, both employers and employees. In addition, the Bureau will expand its peer mediation-training program in selected high schools throughout the City providing students with the tools to resolve conflicts in the schools before they escalate.The Commission will also expand its Equal Access program to ensure accessibility to the disabled and elderly.