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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2002
PR-118-02
www.nyc.gov


MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG AND CHIEF JUDGE JUDITH KAYE
OPEN NATION'S FIRST COMMUNITY-BASED
JUVENILE DRUG COURT IN HARLEM


Harlem Juvenile Intervention Court to Focus on
Non-Violent Youth Offenders

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and New York State Chief Judge Judith Kaye today opened the first community-based juvenile drug court in the United States. Located at a newly renovated courthouse, the Harlem Juvenile Intervention Court focuses on youths aged 15 and under who are arrested for non-violent felonies and misdemeanors, and swiftly links juveniles with drug prevention and treatment programs, family counseling, and education and job services. Deputy Mayor for Legal Affairs Carol Robles-Roman, Criminal Justice Coordinator John Feinblatt, Juvenile Justice Commissioner Neil Hernandez, and Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman joined Mayor Bloomberg and Chief Judge Kaye at the inauguration ceremony.

"The Harlem Juvenile Intervention Court represents a more strategic, efficient, and effective approach to addressing juvenile delinquency and substance abuse before these problems destroy the lives of our City's youths," Mayor Bloomberg said. "Early intervention saves time, money, and, most importantly, lives, and the City of New York is a proud member of this collaborative effort, which includes community groups, the public and private sectors, and all three levels of government. We are committed to helping our children lead healthy, productive lives, and this new court is another example of how different people and organizations can work together to achieve this goal."

"Early intervention is critical in helping a troubled young person get back on the right track," Chief Judge Kaye said. "The Harlem Juvenile Intervention Court seeks to halt a young person's progression into further criminal activity by acting quickly to address the substance-abusing behavior with rigorous judicial monitoring and supportive services for the youth and other family members if necessary. By recognizing and addressing the whole network of influences and pressures that can contribute to a young person's use of drugs, the Court increases the chances that the solution will be a long-term, lasting one."

"The City is committed to working with the courts to address juvenile delinquency problems in this community," Deputy Mayor Robles-Roman said. "Judges can hold young offenders accountable for their actions and ensure that they go to school and stay off drugs. This is good for young people and good for the community."

"The Harlem Juvenile Intervention Court is the first juvenile drug court of its kind in the nation and is unique in its insightful, no-nonsense approach to the handling of substance abuse by minors," Chief Administrative Judge Lippman said. "The Court recognizes the importance of family involvement, incorporating the participation of family members in a young person's rehabilitation program and making supportive services, such as drug treatment, job training, counseling and educational resources, available on-site to both juvenile defendants and their family. With its visionary new community-based approach to juvenile crime and its integral link to the many other youth-oriented programs housed there, this court will be a tremendous resource for the young people of Harlem."

"Too often, low-level cases like these fall between the cracks," Feinblatt said. "We've learned by now that it makes good sense to focus on young offenders early before their problems escalate. This new court puts that theory into practice."

The new court serves East and Central Harlem and uses a multifaceted approach to address substance abuse among juvenile offenders, recognizing the important role of their homes, schools, and community. Youths enter the court program, contingent upon parental consent, after pleading guilty and agreeing to abide by the mandates of the court, which may include drug treatment, tutoring sessions, and regular school attendance. In addition, the court may order offenders to perform community service, including cleaning a local park or removing graffiti. The court also provides the following services: early identification and assessment of substance abuse, drug testing and state-of-the-art treatment, ongoing interaction with the judiciary, on-site access to youth and family services, and graduated rewards and sanctions and for compliance with orders.

The court is a division of the Harlem Community Justice Center, a multi-jurisdictional community-based court focusing on the most pressing issues of the Harlem community, namely at-risk youths, housing, and drugs. Court participants are often linked to youth development and leadership programs available at the Center, such as youth court, mentoring, and parent-teen mediation. In order to hold young people accountable for their actions, the court boasts an ongoing judicial monitoring system, in which the judge reviews drug test results and school attendance records and imposes sanctions and rewards based on the offender's actions and behavior.

Developed in conjunction with the Center for Court Innovation, the research and development arm of the state court system, and located at 170 East 121st Street, the Harlem Juvenile Intervention Court is the third community-based court in New York City, with courts in midtown Manhattan and Red Hook as well. The U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the State Justice Institute are providing over $1.1 million in grants over three years for the court. Additional court partners include the New York City Law Department, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Probation, Police Department, as well as the Legal Aid Society and Neighborhood Defender Service.



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