YOUTH DIVERSION

YOUTH DIVERSION & INITIATIVES

Youth Diversion
Youth Initiatives

YOUTH DIVERSION

Project Re-Direct participants plead guilty up front and sentencing is deferred during program participation. Participants are required to change their perspective and behavior by embracing the rigorous 18- to 24-month program. The program includes wearing an ankle bracelet with GPS tracking, and strict adherence to a set of program rules, including a dress code, a detailed schedule, regular communication with staff, attendance at counseling sessions, random drug testing, education, and/or employment.Project Re-Direct is an “alternative-to-incarceration” program for young men ages 14 to 22, who, for the first time, are facing a felony charge, and who have been gang involved and may have been in possession of a firearm. This “second chance opportunity” can result in a dismissal of the charges against the participant, if the participant successfully completes the Project Re-Direct program. Failure to complete the program can result in a prison sentence.

Candidates are referred by a judge or by an assistant district attorney, and then are carefully screened by the office’s Project Re-Direct legal and social work staff.

The Project Re-Direct-Media Apprenticeship Program at BRIC (PRD-MAP) is a hybrid five-week program between PRD and Youth Initiatives. Participants who complete this program receive a BRIC Certified Community Producers certificate, which ultimately enables them to create original content to be screened on BRIC’s multimedia platforms and access to job placement.

YCP (Youth & Congregations in Partnership) is an “alternative-to-incarceration” program for young men and women ages 13 to 22, who, for the first time, have been charged with a felony, and who have no previous pattern of violent crimes, have no serious mental illness, and have not been charged with any sex offense. This “second chance opportunity” can result in a reduction of the charges against the participant — or even dismissal of the charges — if the participant successfully completes the program. Failure to complete the program can result in a prison sentence.

YCP participants plead guilty to the top charge and sentencing is deferred during program participation. Participants understand that they must comply with YCP rules or risk removal from the program – and possibly, years in prison.

YCP participants are required to change their perspective and behavior by embracing the rigorous 12-month program. The program includes adherence to a schedule, regular communication with staff, community service, individual on-site counseling, and education or employment, or both, and possible work with a mentor, in addition to any other requirements imposed by the court.

Candidates for YCP are referred by a judge or by an assistant district attorney, and sometimes the NYC Department of Probation’s Family Court Unit. Candidates who meet basic program criteria are screened by experienced assistant district attorneys and a social worker. If a candidate is initially approved, a full intake assessment takes place, including interviews with the candidate, his/her relevant family members, and other relevant adults, as well as home, school or other site visits, as necessary. When the assessment is complete, a final determination regarding whether to include the candidate in YCP is made.

For more information, please email EdPrograms@BrooklynDa.org.

Red Hook Community Justice Center

The Justice Center was the model for the Brooklyn Young Adult Court, which now provides similar services in the rest of the borough outside of Red Hook.

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