New report details impact of bail reform at NYC juvenile detention centers
NEW YORK — Safety and staffing challenges are front and center in a new report calling for major changes at two of New York City's juvenile detention centers.
The city's Department of Investigation outlines a troubling pattern of detainee misconduct, criminal activity and lack of staff control since the implementation of bail reform and New York's Raise the Age legislation, which says 18-year-olds can be tried as adults.
As a result, the report says Horizon Juvenile Center in the Bronx and Crossroads Juvenile Center in Brooklyn now house an older population facing more serious and violent charges.
With that, it found the existing disciplinary measures are not enough to stop violence and keep out contraband.
DOI made 15 recommendations to the city's Administration for Children's Services, which operates the facilities.
"Our view is that the current behavioral management systems, training for staff, don't meet the needs of the current population, and therefore they really don't meet the needs of the staff either, and that's fundamentally what we think needs to change," said Jocelyn E. Strauber, commissioner of the New York City DOI.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the ACS said:
"While serving older youth charged with more serious crimes certainly poses additional challenges, as noted by Nunez Monitor experts, ACS has achieved 'compelling reductions in the frequency of youth violence…[and] continues to develop and implement strategies to improve overall security.' Specifically, despite the increased census, violence is down, supportive programming has significantly increased, restorative work with youth is making a difference, and we are seeing improved educational outcomes for youth in detention, including more high school graduations, GED attainment, and college participation. ACS is grateful to our hard-working staff and leadership for all they do each and every day to provide safety and care for youth in detention. We will continue to build on these improvements, and we look forward to our ongoing partnership with the Nunez monitors and DOI."