Chair Feliz questions public witnesses on CMS successes and subway mental health cases

Thank you so much.

So one question for each of you.

So the first one is for Matthew.

So you mentioned earlier resources to help bring down crime.

You know, we need opportunity, not just police resources, but all the other resources to give people opportunity, keep them busy, and et cetera.

Talk to us about some of the successes and also any lives changed.

due to these resources.

I know you mentioned the YMCA.

Any stories that stand out on that?

From the YMCA or just in general from CMS?

In general, CMS.

Yes, I work with a lot of participants, all 32 sites through New York City through the CMS crisis management site, so system.

I could talk about the Bronx.

There have been kids that I know that I worked with that had ankle monitors that was going through mental health from their home being unstable, their way of living being unstable, and then I introduced them to SOS, which is Save Our Streets.

And they had mentors and people that was like family that showed them, that's not blood, but that showed them the way to live and survive.

And it's not just...

Telling someone is showing them and being there when you think no one is there.

That's what matters.

Like within the system, people say, I work nine to five.

After five o'clock, it's over.

With crisis management system, it's 24 hours.

You get calls three in the morning, and they're picking up, and they're there for that person.

So it's an ongoing thing.

You can't just say, I'm going to do this temporarily and think something's going to change.

It's consistency, and you've got to give people chances.

When you see black kids and you know they was, like they was talking about the statistics with murders and crime, they're not.

Distincting it from kids and adults.

We got to know what the kids is doing because we got to help these children.

You get what I'm saying?

So that's important.

So you got to give these kids chances.

They're going to be on, they say, the neighborhoods and the corners that they hang on, but they need other resources.

You give them jobs and opportunities, then they're going to change.

If you don't give them that, you don't give them no change.

Okay, good.

And also, a question for Jean.

Talk to us about the mental health issues and also the subway-related issues, people sleeping in the subways that you've come across.

What cases stand out on that issue?

As a public defender, many of our clients, when we meet them, are presenting with mental health issues.

Often they have gone in and out of hospital settings, or they haven't been able to receive adequate support in the community.

We have seen...

An increase in the number of people being charged for taking up two seats on the subway.

I recently had a conversation with a client who had been charged with that and he basically said that he had his bags and things on the train next to him, he was unhoused.

It's certainly the case that we see an overlap with people who are unhoused being charged with that and folks who may have unaddressed mental health issues.

Often it's people who are being put through the system because they will have an outstanding warrant.

Something of that like, otherwise they would most likely be issued a desk appearance ticket.

But the trauma that they experience by going through the system is incredibly significant.

They get booked, they're often in the cells for up to or sometimes over 24 hours.

It's an incredibly punitive

way of dealing with something that is really, to my mind, not criminal activity.

It's quite disturbing to see people coming through criminal arraignments with that type of charge as a public defender.

And also, what's the policy?

I wonder if there's been any changes.

What's the policy on, I think of your book, that after a certain time, obviously judges...

Are out by a certain time, so you'll have to wait for the next morning.

Is that a rule still?

Or, I don't know.

There are certain day shifts and night shifts in all of the arraignment parts across the city.

Most of the courthouses are very busy, so there's people coming through arraignments continuously.

I don't know a particular policy that you would be referring to.

Obviously, I can't comment on courthouse policies or OCA policies in that sense, but

certainly it's common practice for there to be a day shift, which generally commences in the morning around 9, and it'll go through till 4.30 or 5, and then there'll be a night court shift, which will go through till...

Certainly in Queens, roughly 1 or 1.30 in the morning.

Okay.

So arguably if you book that 1 a.m., you'll have to wait for that morning shift.

That's correct.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

So that concludes my questions.

I don't know if you have any questions.

All right.

Thank you.

So much for your testimony today.

All right, next we'll hear from Y.

Jennings.

And if there's anyone here who would like to testify in person, please give a slip to the sergeant at arms.