Chair Brooks-Powers reads remarks from Councilmember Althea Stevens on youth justice

Thank you so much, Judge.

We've been joined by Councilmember Salam.

And before I start questioning, I will read brief remarks from Councilmember Althea Stevens, who serves as the chair for the Committee on Children and Youth.

Good morning.

As chair of the Committee on Children and Youth, I want to emphasize that any conversation

about reducing incarceration must include young people.

Following the recent incident at Horizon Juvenile Center, it is clear that we cannot examine challenges within our justice system in pieces.

We must look at the entire continuum from youth facilities to adult detention and understand how each part impacts the other.

If we focus on adult facilities such as Rikers Island without addressing what is happening within our youth justice system, we will not solve the problem to its entirety.

The young people in our care today are the adults who will enter our criminal legal system tomorrow.

If we fail to intervene with meaningful support, effective programming, timely court processing, and opportunities for rehabilitation.

Reducing the jail population is not just about moving cases faster.

It's about ensuring that every person, especially every young person, has access to justice services and the resources needed to prevent deeper involvement in the criminal justice system.

If we do not invest in youth now, we risk seeing the numbers at Rikers grow again in the years ahead.

Today's hearing is an opportunity to examine how our courts can operate more efficiently while ensuring fairness, accountability, and better outcomes for New Yorkers of all ages.

I look forward to having meaningful conversations.

to develop a plan to reduce the census population in the juvenile detention center in the near future.

Thank you.

And now I'll pivot to questions.

Sure.

Just one moment, please.

Sorry about that.

No problem.

Technical difficulties over here.