• DTAP - In 1990, District Attorney Hynes created Drug Treatment Alternative-to-Prison (DTAP), the nation’s first prosecution-run program based on the premise that chronic offenders will return to society in a better position to resist drugs and crime after treatment than after spending a comparable amount of time in prison at nearly twice the cost.  DTAP diverts drug-addicted, non-violent repeat felony offenders, following a guilty plea, into residential substance abuse treatment in lieu of mandatory prison.  Upon successful completion of the program, the plea is withdrawn and the charges are dismissed.  In the event of program failure, a prison sentence is imposed.  A warrant enforcement team quickly returns to court any participant who absconds from treatment.  Independent researchers have concluded that DTAP is a safe and cost-effective way to reduce recidivism.

  • TADD - In 1998, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office launched Treatment Alternatives for the Dually Diagnosed (TADD), an alternative to incarceration program.  The program originally targeted mentally ill offenders who also had a co-occurring substance abuse disorder.  It later expanded to also include those suffering solely from a serious mental illness.  After pleading guilty, offenders enter a mental health treatment program in lieu of incarceration.  Treatment progress is carefully monitored by EAC-LINK, a non-profit criminal justice case management agency specializing in mental health treatment, which regularly reports to the prosecutor and court to ensure that public safety is not compromised and that the offender is receiving appropriate treatment.  Over 1,000 individuals have received treatment through the program since TADD’s inception.
  • Choices & Consequences - Automobile collisions are the number one cause of death for young people between the ages of 16 and 24.  District Attorney Hynes introduced the CHOICES & CONSEQUENCES PROGRAM in response to the deadly problems of reckless and drunk driving among teenagers and as an adjunct to the vigorous prosecution of offenders.
  • Red Hook Community Justice Center- The Justice Center contains a community court which addresses the unique social and judicial needs of the neighborhoods comprising the 72nd, 76th, and 78th Precincts.  The prosecution of all misdemeanor and low level felonies from the catchment area is handled there.  Case dispositions regularly include drug treatment, vocational and educational programming, and community service.  The court was created in response to the tragic death of Patrick Daly to address crime and quality of life issues in the area around the school where he taught and the housing development where he was murdered.
  • Brooklyn Treatment Court - In New York City’s first drug court, Brooklyn Treatment Court (BTC), addicted, non-violent, first-time drug felony offenders are offered the opportunity to plead guilty and enter drug treatment while their sentencing is deferred.  If they complete treatment, the charges are dismissed; but if they fail, a previously agreed-upon jail sentence is imposed.  The court’s clinical staff monitors treatment progress, providing updates to the judge, prosecutor, and defense counsel.  The judge uses graduated sanctions and rewards to encourage treatment completion.
  • Mental Health Court – Building on groundwork laid by the District Attorney’s TADD program, Brooklyn’s Mental Health Court, the first such specialty court in New York State, opened in 2002.  Defendants suffering from serious and persistent mental illnesses are offered the opportunity to plead guilty and enter a treatment program while their sentencing is deferred.  If the defendant successfully completes the program, charges are either reduced or dismissed depending on the case.  If the defendant fails, the previously agreed-upon prison sentence is imposed.  The court’s clinical staff and the prosecutor carefully screen defendants for eligibility and monitor their progress while in treatment in order to minimize any risk to public safety.