NYC Council meetings, chaptered and linked by time.
Independent project. Not affiliated with the New York City Council.
Created by Uzair Qadir
Inspired by Vikram Oberoi's City Meetings
New York City Council
Oversight - Secure Detention Conditions and Youth Incarceration Policies in New York City
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Council staff opens the hearing, asks attendees to silence devices and not approach the dais, and directs anyone wanting to testify to see the sergeant-at-arms. Staff then tells Chair Stevens the committee is ready to begin.
Chair Althea Stevens welcomes everyone and thanks them for dealing with a location change due to high turnout. She says the topic is very important and thanks attendees for staying through the process.
Stevens identifies herself as Chair of the Committee on Children and Youth and opens the oversight hearing on secure detention conditions and youth incarceration. She declares that New York City's youth detention systems are in a crisis, citing 352 young people held against about 244 certified beds.
Stevens says the population has climbed every quarter for more than a year. She describes youth sleeping in spaces not meant for sleeping, receiving inadequate education, and staff stretched to the breaking point after her facility tours.
Stevens recalls calling for the release of 150 young people from secure detention in September and says the call was a response to an emergency. She cites March 2020, when city agencies, courts, prosecutors, and defenders safely reduced the detention population during COVID-19.
Stevens says more than 96% of held youth charged as juvenile or adolescent offenders are Black and Hispanic. She notes long pretrial detentions, with some held more than six months and others more than four years, and youth turning 18 behind walls.
Stevens acknowledges the administration's press release plan to improve secure detention and reduce overcrowding. She says the plan lacks funding, timeline, and follow-through details, and the committee wants specific numbers and dates.
Stevens says existing alternative-to-detention and reentry programs are underfunded and underutilized. She argues the city does not need to reinvent the wheel but should capitalize on existing resources.
Stevens introduces Intro 447, which she sponsors, requiring ACS and partner agencies to develop a guide on alternatives to incarceration and detention. The guide would be distributed to judges, attorneys, public defenders, youth advocates, and district attorneys.
Stevens introduces Intro 629, sponsored by Councilmember Restler, requiring ACS to establish teams to review every young person held in secure detention. The teams would recommend candidates for early release or early case resolution.
Stevens introduces Intro 977, sponsored by Councilmember Lewis, requiring ACS and DYCD to provide annual training on identifying sexually exploited youth. She also introduces Reso 274, which calls for New York City to participate in Raise the Age program funding.
Stevens tells agencies to explain what is working, what is not, and what resources are needed. She thanks committee staff and her district team, and asks whether Farrah is present.
Stevens reads a statement from Councilmember Lewis on Intro 977. Lewis says sexual exploitation and trafficking are devastating, and staff who work with youth must be trained to recognize warning signs and provide trauma-informed care and connections to services.
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams thanks Chair Stevens and the committee for holding the hearing. He raises the importance of ensuring eligible youth in custody can vote, citing his Intro 797 requiring DOC reporting on voting at Rikers.
Williams discusses the Mamdani administration's plan to reduce secure detention and improve conditions. He says the July average daily population at Crossroads and Horizon was 385 despite a 244-person limit, with youth sleeping in boats in hallways and classrooms.
Williams criticizes inadequate education for youth in secure detention. He says many arrive behind grade level or have disabilities, and many Passage Academy students do not receive required special education plans within 30 days.
Williams says violence and contraband remain persistent issues in youth detention centers. He cautions against broad expansion of secure detention beds, saying the focus should be on incarcerating fewer young people.
Williams recognizes Anthony Wells, president of Local 371, and other unions present. He says staff need resources and hopes everyone can work together so young people return to their communities in better condition.
Stevens thanks Public Advocate Williams and notes the expanded committee attendance. She acknowledges Councilmembers Felder, Joseph, Williams, Nurse, Ossé, Hanif, and Restler, then calls the first panel.
Councilmember Lincoln Restler thanks Chair Stevens for arranging council tours of Horizon and Crossroads. He says the secure detention population more than doubled from about 140 under Eric Adams to approximately 360, and criticizes cuts to prevention and ATI programs.
Restler points to the Rikers population review team as a model and says Intro 629 would create youth population review teams. He acknowledges concerns about confidentiality and ACS's role, and says he looks forward to amending the bill.
Restler supports Chair Stevens' legislation to create a comprehensive ATI and ATD guide. He says the Mamdani plan is a step, but the city must center decarceration and drive the population back to pre-Adams levels.
Stevens thanks Councilmember Restler and calls the first panel, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. Brief unidentified chatter is heard as the panel is seated.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark thanks the committee and begins with Bronx youth violence statistics. She says the Bronx has about 20% of the city's youth but a disproportionate share of youth gun arrests, shooting victims, and shooting defendants.
Clark says she will focus on youth justice operations, information-sharing challenges, and investment in interventions. She describes Raise the Age and her office's Youth Justice Bureau, which began accepting cases in July 2025 and considers mental health, family history, education, and intervention options.
Clark says prosecutors cannot fully assess youth needs when information is fragmented across systems. She says her office has struggled to get daily updates on Bronx youth detained at Horizon and Crossroads, and cites the June violent uprising at Horizon as a safety concern.
Clark says New York City counties are excluded from Raise the Age reimbursement because of property tax cap and local plan requirements. She describes her office's gun diversion programs, JIBI pilot for high-needs youth, and Bronx Restore with BRAG and Bronx Connect.
Clark urges the council to examine whether agencies share timely information, whether safety incidents and misconduct are documented, whether detained youth access services, and whether investments produce results. She says accountability and safety are not mutually exclusive.
Stevens asks whether the JIBI and Bronx Restore pilot programs are funded by the DA's office. Clark says the office applies for grants and provides matching funds, and describes JIBI as a small pilot aimed at youth other programs reject.
Stevens asks about Clark's testimony that her office does not receive daily detention updates. Clark says she receives daily Rikers lists but not Horizon or Crossroads lists, making it hard to assess who is inside and who might be released to alternatives.
Stevens notes other district attorneys defer to Clark and asks why the Bronx has more detained youth. Clark says Bronx crimes and Horizon incidents require attention, and Marcel Edouard explains that one-third of cases are retained in youth part while two-thirds go to family court.
Public Advocate Williams says he was surprised Clark is not getting information and asks whether this stems from recent laws. Clark says laws restrict access to school, family, and mental health information, and Ginger James explains Family Court Act and Social Services Law barriers predate Raise the Age.
Williams praises Brooklyn's Project Restore and asks how the Bronx version is going. Clark says the Bronx got $3 million from the governor, is building the program with BRAG and Bronx Connect, and expects to start next year; she also says she cannot draw a clear link between arrests or lockups and community safety.
Deputy Speaker Amanda Farías asks what factors the DA's office weighs for youth charged with violent felonies. Marcel Edouard describes looking at home, school, prior record, statutory retention prongs, and bail eligibility; Clark says the approach must be holistic and requires more information.
Farías asks whether the DA's office experiences difficulty getting names of youth held in detention from ACS. Clark says they know their own case names but not whether youth remain detained; she recalls the COVID-era effort when the city provided lists for release review.
Council Member Shahana Hanif asks about Youth Justice Bureau staffing and funding and about detention versus community alternatives. Edouard says the bureau has nine ADAs, three leaders, and about eight support staff; he says judges decide retention and ankle monitoring, and more youth are being placed on ankle monitors.
Hanif asks what concrete steps the DA's office is taking to reduce pre-conviction incarceration. Edouard begins describing quick dispositions in retained youth part cases, but Stevens cuts in because of time and moves to the next council member.
Council Member Lincoln Restler asks whether assistant district attorneys understand diversion programs and alternatives. Clark says they know some but not all, and supports Chair Stevens' guide legislation; she also calls for evaluation of program effectiveness.
Restler lists Adams administration cuts to Department of Probation programs including IMPACT, Next Steps, Arches, and ICM. Clark says the cuts mean fewer resources but not necessarily more detention, and says Probation resources need to be restored.
Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez says she is concerned about secure detention and thanks Clark for Bronx Restore and Project Rise. She asks about conversations with the new deputy mayor for community safety; Clark says they have met and she is encouraged.
Stevens thanks DA Clark for testifying and says the committee will now call the administration. She asks council staff to swear in the administration panelists, and there is brief procedural chatter.
Council staff says the committee will now hear administration testimony and administers the affirmation. Panelists are asked to raise their right hands and affirm to tell the truth and respond honestly to council questions.
ACS Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gaston introduces herself and the administration panel. Panelists include Nancy Ginsberg, Stacey Desmore, Desmond Moore, Miriam Popper, Ray Toomer, Stephanie Gendell, Robert Asubio, and Devin Bailey.
Gaston states the administration's commitment to reduce the number of young people in care and improve conditions for those ordered into detention. She thanks the committee for visiting Horizon and Crossroads and thanks ACS staff and partners.
Gaston says ACS operates Horizon and Crossroads and that admissions, age, length of stay, and charge severity have increased since 2022. As of October 23, the census was 352 youth, with 178 at Crossroads and 174 at Horizon; 346 were charged as adolescent or juvenile offenders.
Gaston outlines Mamdani administration efforts to expand community-based alternatives and intensive monitoring. She says ACS invested an additional $12.2 million in alternatives, is expediting discharges, and is working to establish non-secure detention as a step-down option.
Gaston says Horizon and Crossroads were built for fewer youth and shorter stays, leaving more youth than bedrooms. She says youth sleep in common areas, classrooms, or the chapel, and describes expedited construction of the Horizon annex and Crossroads auxiliary housing.
Gaston says ACS has increased searches, procured handheld and mobile x-ray scanners, and added entrance and exit scanning technology. She says ACS has hired 166 youth development specialists and 52 special officers, and expanded crisis intervention and threat assessment training.
Gaston highlights education, workforce, and youth programming in detention. She says ACS expanded GED and college options, has 39 students in college, provides tutoring through Children's Village and Youth Justice Network, and offers trades certifications and arts and recreational programs.
Gaston describes medical and mental health services provided by H&H and Bellevue. She says H&H provides 24/7 medical and dental care and Bellevue provides trauma-informed mental health teams, with roughly 80 to 90% of detained youth voluntarily engaged in mental health services.
Gaston comments on the legislation before the committee. She supports Intro 447's alternatives guide, appreciates Intro 629's intent while assessing confidentiality issues, and says ACS supports annual anti-trafficking training under Intro 977, noting 2025 training reach.
Gaston concludes by thanking the City Council, City Hall colleagues, ACS teams, and partners. She says much work remains to reduce the detention census and improve care, and thanks the young people in ACS custody.
Council Member Sandy Nurse asks about timelines for the September 15 announcement, working groups, and meetings with district attorneys and court liaisons. Miriam Popper describes the Youth Justice Working Group, five subgroups, and borough-based meetings with ADAs, defenders, and judges.
Stevens interjects that district attorneys told her they had only two meetings mostly about secure detention information. She asks how the meetings reduce the population; Popper says the meetings share new investments, programs, and case-delay issues.
Nurse asks for timelines on expanding alternatives, family-based treatment, ICM Connect, and non-secure detention. Popper says Families Rising and Exalt contracts are with the comptroller, will register within four weeks, and new tracks start November 16; Deanna Logan describes the Bronx ICM Connect pilot with 150 slots.
Nurse asks whether the 56 youth development specialists and 85 emergency response staff are hired. Gaston and Gendell say 56 YDS were hired between June and September, 166 YDS have been hired since January, and the 85 special officer and supervisor positions are still being recruited.
Stevens says the situation does not feel treated like a crisis, noting the September 15 announcement and November program start dates. She asks whether the state waiver was revoked so youth can no longer sleep in unconventional areas; Gaston says it is absolutely a crisis.
Public Advocate Williams asks whether youth 18 and older in detention are being helped to vote. Nancy Ginsberg says ACS has held voter education events and 71 youth are registered, but she does not have the number eligible or whether they voted and will follow up.
Williams asks about the DA's testimony that prosecutors are not getting information. Ginsberg says the Bronx DA requested a list in July and was provided one, Brooklyn requested multiple lists and received them, and ACS has never received a request for a daily census.
Williams asks how contraband screening has changed and whether all staff go through the same screening. Gaston says everyone entering the building is screened through x-ray and other equipment, and ACS has added new entrance, exit, and handheld scanning equipment.
Williams says he is worried that if the city builds more capacity, the system will fill it, and that attention may fade once overcrowding eases. He says the focus must remain on getting youth out and ensuring programming so they leave better.
Deputy Speaker Farías asks how ACS provides medical, mental health, educational, family-contact, and recreational services amid overcapacity. Ginsberg cites expanded Bellevue mental health funding, career readiness funding, certifications, SYEP participation, college enrollment, and graduates.
Farías asks how youth are grouped at Horizon and Crossroads and whether there is a defined policy. Ginsberg describes an admissions interview, court collateral, conflict checks, discussions about where youth feel safe, and facility leadership assessment for safe housing.
Farías asks about bathroom and shower availability and about Local 371 budget lines and staff injuries. Ginsberg says there are 40 bathrooms at Horizon and 36 at Crossroads, with 20 youth bathrooms and showers renovated since July 2025; Gendell will follow up on budget and injury data.
Council Member Gale Brewer says the issue is not new and asks how the city prevents youth from entering detention and where youth go if they lack stable housing. Ray Toomer describes the Family Assessment Program, borough offices, community-based services, and about 3,000 families served annually.
Restler stresses the crisis and asks about the capacity of new ATI programs and expected population reduction. Popper says Families Rising will add about 20 youth at a time and 40 over a year, while Exalt will expand by 20 youth at a time and she will provide exact totals.
Restler urges ACS to take population reduction as a mandate and asks how often ACS reviews whether youth can be safely released. Ginsberg describes weekly longest-stay lists sent to youth part judges, engagement with 18B leadership and OCA, and an 8% population reduction since July.
Restler asks about average daily programming hours and reports that youth spend hours with nothing to do. Ginsberg explains the split school schedule, GED and college classes, after-school programs, and vocational and arts programming, and says ACS provided about 10,000 hours of programming last year.
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez asks about the gap in mental health care after youth are released. Ginsberg says successful access is not a high number, many youth are excluded due to behavioral histories or charges, and ACS is working with Bellevue and H&H while noting mental health is not directly an ACS function.
Gutiérrez asks how many youth currently in detention will be released before age 21. Ginsberg and Gaston say release decisions are made by courts and are not knowable in advance by ACS.
Gutiérrez asks about gynecological care and whether any detained youth are pregnant. Ginsberg says there are seven young women, they receive trauma-informed medical care including gynecological care, and no pregnancies are known; basic care is in-facility and advanced care outside.
Nurse asks how many staff have case review for early release as part of their explicit job duties. Ginsberg says executive staff review cases; Popper says juvenile case information is legally limited and OCA/judges review, while Gaston says ACS is working on a data agreement with MOCJ and state partners.
Stevens returns to her crisis question and recalls the March 2020 COVID-era effort when courts, defenders, prosecutors, and agencies quickly identified youth who could go home safely. She asks why that model is not being used now; Popper confirms the 2020 effort occurred.
The administration responds that Nancy Ginsberg is personally involved and that the population was different in 2020. Stevens rejects that, saying the city has a proven formula and asking what is delaying action.
Stevens says staff have contacted her about mismanagement and overcrowding, and that she received photos of kids sleeping on the floor and in chairs at Crossroads. Gaston says every child has a bed, bedding, and storage; Stevens says the photo shows otherwise.
Stevens says she received photos of a water gun fight at a facility and asks who authorized it. She calls it serious given many youth are there on gun charges and says she will send the pictures to the administration.
Council Member Rita Joseph says this is the fourth hearing on these facilities and that numbers, conditions, and outcomes remain the same. She says a plan must be executed, cites the eight-hour riot, and urges the administration to move the system.
Joseph asks about the timeline for temporary classroom units being developed by ACS, DDC, and SCA. Administration witnesses say they are waiting for final state approval and hope the classrooms are ready in the next couple of weeks; construction renovations at Horizon and Crossroads are underway with completion around 2027.
Joseph asks about trailer capacity, staffing, and whether the trailers will be used for non-school programming. Administration witnesses say each trailer holds 16 students, ACS staffing ratio is one to six, the focus is classroom space, and other uses will be explored with state oversight.
Joseph asks who will manage the trailers and whether classes get suspended when staff are insufficient. Administration witnesses say ACS will manage, staffing ratios are met with specialized uniform positions escorting youth, and classes are not suspended facility-wide, though individual classrooms may pause.
Joseph asks about the Exalt expansion and reentry coordination with New York City Public Schools. Popper says Exalt added $400,000 for 20 slots per year, DOE court liaisons are returning, and transition coaches are planned; Joseph raises a student who took two years to return to school and describes a continuum-of-care gap.
Joseph asks whether ACS tracks attendance and graduation outcomes after youth leave detention. Administration witnesses say that is a New York City Public Schools function and that student data is protected.
Stevens asks about class suspensions and staffing for moving youth to school. Administration witnesses say classes are not stopped facility-wide, though individual classes may be paused, and ACS has specialized uniform staff to escort youth to classrooms.
Stevens asks about the city's plan for state Raise the Age funding, including $194.5 million earmarked for ACS. Administration witnesses say the FY26 plan was submitted and is awaiting state approval, and the FY27 plan will follow once FY26 is resolved.
Stevens asks for funding details for each program in the administration's announcement, including units of appropriation and budget codes. Administration witnesses give amounts for Families Rising, Exalt, Fortune Society, and Center for Community Alternatives, and say contracts will be backdated to October 1 and appear in the November plan.
Stevens asks whether the administration has a long-term goal to expand community alternatives and reduce secure detention funding. Administration witnesses say they are assessing whether courts and youth use the programs, because programs only reduce population if court stakeholders rely on them.
Stevens asks whether Close to Home is part of the plan and about non-secure detention capacity. Administration witnesses say Close to Home is for post-disposition family court placements, not detention, and that non-secure detention has 87 beds with 50 youth and nine more coming online.
Stevens asks how ACS designates youth as travelers and what sleeping arrangements they have. Administration witnesses say 109 youth lack bedrooms, 74 are on residential halls, and a smaller number cannot safely be housed on halls due to conflicts; ACS assesses daily whether youth can move to halls.
Stevens asks whether youth without bedrooms can securely store personal belongings. Administration witnesses say there are no youth locker rooms, but each youth without a bedroom has a bin for private belongings.
Stevens asks about steps to prevent and find contraband. Administration witnesses describe TSA-level scanners, x-ray machines, handheld x-ray scanners, tools to open fixtures, announced and unannounced searches, wands, metal detectors, and pat frisks, with contraband logged and held by ACS police.
Stevens asks about x-ray body scanners that use iodine radiation and whether ACS plans to use them. Administration witnesses say ACS is not using them or storing them on site, and is waiting for state guidance and DOHMH guidelines on who would be scanned and how often.
Stevens asks what security changes were made before the June 21 Horizon violence and whether earlier warnings were flagged. Administration witnesses say they would need to review history and provide information later, and describe scanners, training, staffing, and commissioner town halls with staff.
Stevens notes five former youth development specialists pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and smuggling contraband. She asks what ACS has done since 2024 and how many staff were disciplined; administration witnesses say they will follow up with data and describe screening and bag policies.
Stevens asks whether frontline facility staff participate in the justice working groups. Administration witnesses say they are not sure but will check and appreciate the suggestion.
Stevens says attorneys report they cannot bring laptops into Crossroads and Horizon and have had video-visit problems. Administration witnesses say attorneys can bring laptops with clearance, and that video-system issues were resolved with case-manager support.
Stevens asks about MOCJ's ATI program guide, noting only five programs accept youth ages 13 to 15 and only one Brooklyn program is borough-based. MOCJ witnesses say they track referrals and are aware of the need for more local and mobile programs because travel and safety affect attendance.
Stevens asks what options exist for youth excluded from ATI programs due to disabilities or serious mental health and substance use needs. MOCJ witnesses say programs do not exclude charges, but if mental health is the primary issue they want treatment first; Stevens says there are not enough programs and the gap must be closed.
Stevens asks when MOCJ will release the new ATI RFP. Administration witnesses say new programs will come online at the end of FY28 and the procurement will be released a few months before FY29 begins.
Stevens dismisses the administration panel, saying she has many more questions but does not want to hold public witnesses. She thanks them, says the conversation will continue, and states that young people deserve better.
Stevens calls a five-minute break before public testimony. The hearing pauses and resumes later.
Stevens opens the floor to public testimony and reminds attendees this is a formal proceeding requiring decorum. She explains the witness table rules, appearance cards, three-minute speaking limit, and how to submit written testimony.
Anthony Wells, president of Social Services and Employment Local 371, testifies about unsafe juvenile facilities. He says the union has no faith in local management and reminds the committee that these are secure facilities, not group homes or summer camps.
Derek Robinson, vice president of grievances and legal services for Local 371, says initiatives were announced without meaningful union engagement. He says members face overcrowding, staffing shortages, violence, and complex clinical needs, and that programs on paper need staffing, training, space, and security.
Cassandra Washington, a grievance representative and 20-year youth development specialist, describes unsafe conditions including violence, unsanitary spaces, and chronic overcrowding. She says staff face burnout and recommends protective gear and relocating older residents age 18 to 21 to a separate facility.
Youth Development Specialist DeColby Hester gives a firsthand account of the June 21 Horizon riot. He describes weapons, keys taken from staff, overcrowded housing units with 22 residents each, a five-plus-hour riot, injuries at Lincoln Hospital, and NYPD being denied entry twice.
Stevens asks the union about its meeting cadence with the new ACS commissioner. Anthony Wells says the union has met several times and welcomes town halls, but wants action and says the administration's plan was not shared with the union initially.
Wells details union safety demands, including body cameras, returning keys to hall staff, and protective gear. He says there is a severe staff shortage and questions where the policy and accountability are when policies are violated.
Wells and Stevens discuss the NYPD response, persistent contraband, and the broader crisis. Wells says when a facility is out of control, outside help is needed; Robinson says there are no consequences and alleges pizza parties rewarded youth after the riot.
Stevens says she agrees consequences are needed but that pizza parties after assaults are unacceptable. She thanks the union panel and says she will continue fighting until young people are released and real solutions are in place.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson joins by Zoom and thanks Chair Stevens for the hearing. She says she has visited Horizon, was horrified by conditions, and agrees the city is in a crisis that demands a crisis response.
Gibson describes the June Father's Day weekend violence at Horizon and the facility's maintenance, space, cleanliness, overcrowding, staffing, and violence issues. She says she saw youth sleeping in classrooms on cots and calls for faster court processes, ATI/ATD expansion, non-secure detention, ICM, and restored Probation programs.
Gibson announces $3 million for Bronx Restore and funding for Project RISE, totaling $6 million over two years across several Bronx precincts. She calls for supporting staff and applying the West Bronx Community Safety Coalition model to juvenile justice.
Laquisha Tatum testifies about her son's experiences at Horizon. She says he was attacked by staff, a later incident left him with 46 stitches and staples, and she has received little response from investigative agencies; she asks what accountability exists for staff abuse.
Amanda Stegnero-McCarthy of CASES says the city continues to detain hundreds in horrific conditions without expanding alternatives. She cites declining Probation adjustment eligibility and an ACES success story, and urges support for Intro 447 and Reso 274.
Dominique McNally of the Queens Community Justice Center supports Intros 447 and 629 and Reso 274. She says information alone is insufficient, capacity for complex youth must expand, and Intro 629 needs safeguards including legal counsel, clinical expertise, and confidentiality protections.
Nikisha Francis of Good Shepherd Services describes the March 2026 youth justice convening and May report. She calls for trauma-informed services, reentry planning, $50 million for youth justice innovation, and restoration of DOP programs like Next Steps and Works Plus.
David Moss of the New York Civil Liberties Union supports Reso 274 and Intro 447 but opposes Intro 629 as written. He says ACS should not house the review teams, public defenders must be guaranteed representation, and confidentiality guardrails are needed.
Stevens tells the panel that Councilmember Restler is open to amending Intro 629 and urges stakeholders to reach out. She thanks the panel and notes David Moss is no longer with LDF.
Jackie Gazdigian of Brooklyn Defender Services says incarceration harms youth and increases recidivism. She reports youth still sleeping on floors, benches, and common areas, supports Intro 447 and Reso 274, and calls for the Youth Justice Innovation Fund and Youth Justice and Opportunities Act.
Jason Rodriguez of the Legal Action Center shares that he was incarcerated for 24 years beginning at age 18. He describes fear and hypervigilance in detention, supports Intro 447 and Reso 274, and says programs must have capacity and accountability so detention is a last resort.
Veronica Leventhal of the Center for Family Representation describes a client in secure detention who cannot meet with his therapist due to lack of private space and staff. She says he primarily speaks Spanish but lacks Spanish-speaking instructors, asks for community funding instead of detention, and supports Reso 274.
Jacqueline Goodman of the Legal Aid Society describes inhumane conditions at Crossroads, including youth sleeping in classrooms and hallways and some forced to use trash bins due to lack of bathroom access. She notes state agencies declined to renew overcrowding waivers and calls for decarceration and returning a significant number of youth by December.
Rev. Wendy Calderón-Payne of Bronx Connect proposes expanding Functional Family Therapy in schools and a Philadelphia-style pre-diversion program for first arrests. She says length of stay is unacceptable and that ATI capacity exists but placement requires DA approval and excludes some serious charges.
Stevens asks Calderón-Payne about DA approval for ATI placements and capacity. Calderón-Payne explains that a legal aid attorney can refer a youth, but the DA must accept the program or allow non-secure detention, and felony limits restrict eligibility; Stevens says she will review youth for possible placements.
Youth advocate Daniel Alva-Willatron with Youth Represent calls for rebuilding the system and investing in youth programs. He says youth need direction, paid employment, stipends, culturally competent mental health care, and credible messengers, and names programs like Exalt, Youth Justice Network, CASES, and Exodus.
Stevens thanks Alva-Willatron for bringing the youth voice and apologizes that he waited. She says young people should speak first in the Children and Youth committee, and he says he does not mind waiting and will testify again.
Council staff asks whether anyone in the chamber still wishes to speak and then calls remaining Zoom registrants. No additional speakers raise hands.
Stevens closes public testimony, thanks community members, the ACS commissioner, DA staff, and attendees who stayed all day. She reiterates that the city is in a crisis, calls for urgency, thanks council members and officials, repeats the goal of getting 150 youth out by December, and adjourns the hearing.