Youth in the Community

Community-based supervision organizations can be very effective in reducing the use of detention and custodial placement for youth in the criminal justice system.  A very impressive example of this work is the Center for Community Alternatives, serving New York City, Kings County, and Syracuse, NY.

The CCA accepts referrals at any stage in the juvenile/criminal justice process: bail, plea, sentence and disposition. They provide court advocacy for youth that includes the development of a client-specific plan as an alternative to detention. This plan is based on a review of the case and an investigation of the case using interviews with the youth, relevant family members and others.

When a young person enters the program, CCA works with them and with and their parents to stabilize their family life, to establish safe and appropriate housing, to arrange reentry to school and to ensure their health needs are being met.

Here is a list of CCA’s other services:

• intensive community-based supervision
• individual case management
• curfew monitoring
• supervision of school attendance and performance
• home visits
• educational and vocational counseling
• weekly group attendance
• health and HIV/AIDS prevention education programs
• life skills groups
• after school arts enrichment and tutoring
• volunteer work in the community
• referrals to community based services as needed.

The arts enrichment portion of CCA’s after school program produces some very good writing.  Read on for a beautiful poem written by one of the young people involved with CCA Youth Services:

LOVE by S. Gary

Love is quite and humble

Love can be a riot or a rumble

Love is like holding a football

hoping not to fumble

With Love you can’t be afraid

to stumble

Love can be so beautiful or

can crumble

People without love are like

bees without the bumble

CCA also puts out a literary magazine with writing by the young people in their program.  You can check out excerpts, or read the entire magazine online.