|
The Center
houses an innovative, multi-jurisdictional problem solving court,
which handles criminal, housing and family court matters.
District Attorney Charles Hynes
selected Red Hook as the site for this courthouse for two primary
reasons. In 1992, elementary school Principal, Patrick Daly, was
senselessly killed in the Red Hook Housing Development. He was
caught in the crossfire of rival drug gangs while looking for a
student who had run out of school after a fight. DA Hynes successfully prosecuted Principal Daly’s killers
and, in the process, developed a special place in his heart for this
geographically isolated community. Public School 15 is now named in
Principal Daly’s honor.
The District Attorney's Office at Red
Hook prosecutes annually the 3,500 misdemeanor cases arising
in Red Hook and several neighboring communities,
encompassing three police precincts and over 200,000 people.
All defendants are assessed to determine the underlying
reason for the criminal activity. Once this clinical
determination is made, innovative strategies are employed to
avoid reoccurrence of criminal behavior in the future.
|
Either as a
condition of release or post-plea mandate, we frequently employ
treatment to ensure the public’s safety during the pendency of a
case. At the final disposition of the case, sentences incorporate
the myriad services available at the Justice Center. Our
sentences frequently include intensive drug treatment, mediation,
anger management, high school equivalency classes, youth groups,
vehicular programs, Project Respect (John School) and more.
Additionally, we often require offenders to perform community
service as a means of recompensing the community that they harmed by the commission of
the crime. The District Attorney's Office believes that for
non-violent offenders, education, prevention and rehabilitation are
most effective crime fighting strategies.
Accountability
is a critical component of our innovative strategy. While offenders
work to complete their treatment or mandate, they are closely
monitored by the on-site clinic and face sanctions for
non-compliance. Those who do not succeed at treatment or fail
to complete their mandates are often sentenced to jail.
Most of the services and programs at the Justice Center are
on-site and immediately available.
|
|
Special attention is paid to the victims of domestic violence in the
prosecution of cases and the accessing of on site services.
We support the development and use of these
services for all community residents, regardless of whether it is
the courtroom that brings them to the Center.
In
addition to their courtroom responsibilities, our prosecutors,
investigator and support staff have become experts in the areas of
concern to community members. We attend local meetings comprised of
community boards, police precinct council and public housing
tenants. We participate in numerous community events. The Kings
County District Attorney’s Office sponsors a Little League Team.
Our employee is the leader of the Red Hook Public Safety Corps,
comprised of ten Americorps members. We assist in training the teens
participating in Youth Court. We have established strong
partnerships with community, city and government agencies in all
Brooklyn neighborhoods. Red Hook is no exception. Our
community involvement, coupled with our strong partnerships, brings
us closer to achieving our goal of making Brooklyn a safer, stronger
and healthier place.
|
|
