Entering the Juvenile Justice Maze
New York’s juvenile justice system is complex. Explore the different paths court-involved young people take, from the initial detention or ticket to appear in family court through release on probation.
Doing Time at Family Court
Family court is the first stop for most juveniles accused of committing a crime. See what happens one day in a Brooklyn court as young people and their parents wait, often longer than they want, for their cases to be heard.
Advocates Seek to Keep Youth Out of Adult Courts
New York is one of just two states that prosecute 16-year-olds as adults in all cases. Advocates say this needs to change in order to keep more youth from engaging in criminal behavior over the long term.
The Cost of Juvenile Justice
Thousands of teens pass through New York City’s juvenile justice system every year, costing the city and state billions of dollars. Despite recent measures to lower the juvenile justice bill, some advocates say the price is still too high.
Alternatives to Court
There are alternative programs available to arrested teens, both before trial and after sentencing. Read what two alternative programs in New York City are doing to help youth in the system.
Being Female in a System Designed for Boys
While the majority of youth offenders are male, the juvenile justice system is dealing with more and more girls.
Transferring Youth Offenders Closer to Home
Last fall, about 200 juvenile delinquents were transferred from upstate facilities to the city and placed in or close to their communities. By the end of this year, another 130 city juveniles are scheduled to be closer to home.
Youth in Detention More Likely to Identify as LGBT
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth make up 15 percent of the juvenile detention population nationally. But in New York, exactly how many juvenile offenders are LGBT is unknown.
Michael Yan, aka Polite
Michael Yan spent six months in Rikers Island last year for violating his parole. He talked about his troubled past, and what he’s doing to stay out of trouble.
Niasia Alvarez, aka Lady Infinite
Niasia Alvarez spent her adolescent years on the street and in and out of detention centers. Through hard work and determination, she’s out of the system and moving on with her with life.
Eric Dawkins, aka Dolo
Eric Dawkins spent most of the last five years in August Aichhorn Center, a treatment center for kids with psychiatric issues. Dawkins discussed the difficulties he’s had getting his life back on track.
“I’m Going to do Something Different”
Griselda, 17, was arrested when she was 14. In this audio piece she talks about bad influences in her neighborhood, and how exalt helped her get her life back on track.
Aiming to Change Attitudes on a Tight Budget
Successful transitional programs are hard to come by and are constantly threatened by budget cuts.
Erasing the Past
Dr. David Ores gets two or three requests a day to help ex-offenders remove gang and prison tattoos for free.
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