Charting a new course: a blueprint for transforming juvenile justice in New York State

More than 1,600 youth enter New York State’s institutional placement facilities (youth prisons) each year, at an estimated annualized cost of $210,000 per child. Yet many of these youth leave more angry, fearful, or violent than when they entered. In September 2008, Governor David A. Paterson created the Task Force on Transforming Juvenile Justice to help the state shift from its punitive approach toward a rehabilitative, treatment-focused model of care that promotes public safety, holds youth accountable for their actions, and produces positive outcomes for young people and their families. In this report, the Task Force offers 20 recommendations for reducing the use of institutional placement and expanding alternatives; eliminating inequities across the system, particularly those that disproportionately impact youth of color; improving the supports and services provided to young people in state custody and upon release; and ensuring system accountability and transparency. The Task Force was staffed by the Vera Institute of Justice. Vera provided data analysis, insight into best practices, and logistical support.

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