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Council Discourse

NYC Council meetings, chaptered and linked by time.

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Q&A

Councilmember Wong questions detention length of stay and graduation rates

New York City Council · May 28, 2026 · starts 1:17:33 · 1 min 27 sec

Wong asks about average time in detention and graduation rates. Ginsberg reports 97.4 days average stay, about 150 graduates over 3.5 years, and a CUNY MOU enabling college programming through Hostos and BMCC for youth with diplomas or GEDs.

Phil Wong

Can you talk about the number of days the child spends in a detention center on average before they get to leave?

Nancy Ginsberg

The average length of stay in secure detention for 2025 was about 97.4 days.

Phil Wong

What about the graduation rates on these schools?

Nancy Ginsberg

So graduation rates are difficult.

Nancy Ginsberg

The school program is a program.

Nancy Ginsberg

It's not a school because young people don't start on the first day of school.

Nancy Ginsberg

They come whenever the court mandates them into our facility.

Nancy Ginsberg

We have graduated about 150 young people over the last three and a half years.

Nancy Ginsberg

And two years ago, we signed an MOU with CUNY, and we have young people who have either graduated with a diploma

Nancy Ginsberg

or have achieved their GED engaged in college programming in both facilities through Hostos and BMCC.

Phil Wong

Okay, thank you.

Phil Wong

Thank you.

Linda Lee

Thank you.

Linda Lee

Okay, I've been reminded we've got to try to stick to time as best as possible, but we're going to do round two questions as well.