INAUGURATION,
HAITI DISASTER RELIEF, ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
District Attorney Hynes is
sworn in for his sixth term in office by Hon. Theodore T. Jones,
NYS Court of Appeals, as Mrs. Hynes and the rest of the family
look on |
On January 27th, I proudly took the
oath of office as District Attorney for the sixth time. I look
back on the past 20 years in office with satisfaction and thank
my tremendous staff of Assistant District Attorneys and all the
support staff that make this the best DA's office in the country
and the people of Brooklyn who have shown faith in us and
continue to support our work.
I also look forward to this coming
four years as a time we can even improve our record of
achievement in areas of prisoner re-entry into their
communities, |
drug
treatment programs for addicts who commit non-violent crimes, working
with youngsters in trouble with the law through religious congregations,
providing help for domestic violence victims while prosecuting batterers
and getting truants back into schools. This is all a part of my policy
of crime prevention through intervention and dealing with criminals in
innovative ways that benefit the community in the long term.
This
has been a month of great concern for a large segment of our Brooklyn
community as our Haitian American residents struggle to cope with the
nightmare that has struck their home country. The largest population of
Haitians outside of Haiti, an estimated 88,000 people, reside in
Brooklyn. My office staff has responded to the earthquake that struck
near Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince on January 12 by collecting over
$3,000 in checks to be sent to the American Red Cross to aid in the
Haiti relief effort.
With
the assistance of Clean Up NYC, the community service defendants in my
Alternative Sentencing Unit have been donating their service for two
weeks to the Haiti relief drive. One of our program sponsors, St.
Mary’s Church, has spearheaded a clothing drive for Haiti, and
defendants have been assisting in the program by sorting, laundering,
folding and packaging the clothing. Clean Up NYC has been collecting
clothing donations from the surrounding communities and transporting
them back to St. Mary’s for preparation.
We have
also contributed to the Haiti relief effort by volunteering with the
Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) by helping
to fill shipping barrels with needed medical supplies and water for
distribution in Haiti.
It is
heartwarming to see how New Yorkers have stepped up in this time of
need. The NYPD and Fire Department sent their urban search and rescue
experts who made some successful rescues. Also, city workers can have
money donated directly from their paychecks to help in the relief
efforts.
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
On January 19, I hosted
a conference with the Task Force on Children and Families, informing
people in the community about the role of ACS (Administration for
Children’s Services), and providing tips for parents as well as signs
for people in the community to notice signs of abuse. It was a program
geared for mental health and community professionals in the Orthodox
Jewish community.
Child abuse is a major
issue in this city. Just last year, there were 59,636 reports of
alleged abuse and neglect.
If you suspect a case
of child abuse or neglect, you can call the NYS Child Abuse Hotline at
1-800-342-3720 or
1-800-635-1522. If it is an emergency, you should
call 911.
Some common signs of
neglect include:
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Consistent hunger
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Lack of personal care
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Untreated need for glasses,
dental care or other medical attention
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Child inappropriately left
unattended or without supervision
Some common signs of
physical abuse include:
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Frequent or unexplained
injuries
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Fear of going home or fear of
person caring for them
-
Injuries to both side of the
body or to multiple areas of the body
When you make a report,
you are not only helping to protect the child, but you are helping the
family as well. When they receive a report of child abuse, Child
Protective Services (CPS) will investigate and take needed action to
protect the child and help the parent solve problems that are leading to
the abuse or neglect. For instance, the family may be referred to
daycare or homemaker services to help relieve the pressures of
parenthood. They also might suggest counseling, participation in a drug
or alcohol program, or a parenting education program. Removing the
child from the home is not a routine occurrence unless the child is in
serious danger. The goal is to try to keep the family together.
Here are some tips for
parents:
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Never leave children home
alone without adult supervision. Children should not care for other
children.
-
Know who your caretaker is –
make sure that you know the person who is watching your children and
your children know that person and are comfortable with them.
-
Never leave children alone in
a car, not even for a few minutes.
-
When children ride in a car,
always use seatbelts or car seats, depending on the age of your child.
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Make sure you have smoke and
carbon monoxide detectors in your home. It’s a landlord
responsibility. Call 311 if you do not have one.
-
Make sure you have window
guards in your home if you have children under the age of 10. It’s the
law.
Call 311 if you need them.
-
Never leave children alone in
the water – sinks, tubs, pools.
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Make sure all staircases have
gates to prevent children from falling.
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Never sleep with your baby –
rolling over in your sleep can cause the child to suffocate.
-
Always put your baby in a
crib, on its back.
Never shake a baby – this can cause severe injury to the child.
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