Thursday, February 19, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 2
Committee: Committee on Criminal Justice
The Committee on Criminal Justice, chaired by Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, held an oversight hearing on programming to prevent recidivism and promote public health and safety, and considered legislation (Intro 246, sponsored by Council Member Hudson) requiring the Department of Correction to return unused commissary funds to people in cash upon release. Commissioners Stanley Richards (Department of Correction) and Sharon Goodwin (Department of Probation), along with the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice and Correctional Health Services, testified on jail programming, the five-hour out-of-cell programming mandate, the 6-A early release program, transitional housing, education access under the Handbury order, and staff vacancy challenges. Council Members Nurse, Cabán, and Brewer questioned the agencies, including on solitary confinement law compliance, school access in restrictive housing, cell door repairs, and probation staffing. The committee also heard public testimony from advocacy organizations, public defenders, unions, and reentry providers.
0:33 I don't good morning ladies
0:33 and gentlemen welcome t
0:35 otoday's New York City Council
0:36 hearing for the committee on
0:38 criminal justice at this time
0:40 I'd like to remind everyone t
0:42 oplease silence all devices and
0:43 at no point you approach the
0:46 dais
0:46 . Chair we are ready to begin
0:52 morning I am councilmember
0:53 silvina Brooks Brooks Powers
0:55 of the the committee on
0:57 criminal justice
0:58 . I want to welcome everyone
0:59 to today's hearing on program
1:01 and to prevent recidivism and
1:04 promote public health and
1:07 safety and related legislation e
1:11 members and council members
1:13 Council Member cab on as well
1:15 as Nurse and on we're we're
1:18 joined by council members
1:19 . Narcisse and murano.
1:23 First please join me in
1:25 congratulating the department
1:26 of correction commissioner sam
1:27 Lee richards and department of
1:30 probation commissioner sharon
1:31 goodwin on their appointments
1:33 to their posts and thank them
1:34 for being here today we look
1:36 forward to working
1:38 collaboratively with you t
1:40 oimprove your critically
1:40 important departments and
1:41 advance and I'm more just
1:44 criminal system the justice
1:46 system includes what happens
1:47 while individuals are in
1:48 custody and preparing them to
1:51 return to our communities
1:52 better able to thrive and
1:54 avoid reentering the system
1:59 the programming services and
1:59 support offered in our jails
2:01 are central to reducing
2:03 violence inside facilities.
2:05 Promoting health and safety
2:06 and lower in the likelihood
2:08 that someone will return after
2:11 release New York City has
2:12 legal and moral obligations to
2:15 provide meaningful programming
2:15 to people in custody including
2:21 educational vocational
2:22 training therapeutic services
2:23 and re entry planning
2:25 including a clear requirement
2:27 to offer five hours of daily
2:28 out of cell programming
2:39 unfortunately.
2:39 In the recent past budget
2:43 cuts and staff and shortages
2:45 negatively impacted the
2:47 delivery of programming of the
2:50 highest quality we want t
2:51 ohear from the department of
2:52 corrections department of
2:53 probations and the mayor's
2:56 office of criminal justice and
2:57 representatives of the
2:59 correctional health and health
3:01 services what shortcomings
3:02 they have identified in the
3:03 delivery of these services and
3:04 how they will enhance and
3:06 improve them under the New
3:09 administration
3:10 . We will explore how
3:12 programming connects to public
3:14 health outcomes including
3:15 mental health support
3:17 substance use treatment and
3:19 continuity of care upon relief e
3:24 role of community based
3:25 partners and re entry networks
3:27 and helping individuals secure
3:31 housing identification
3:32 employment and other
3:34 stabilizing resources that
3:35 reduce the risk of recidivism
3:37 and what will be done to
3:38 ensure they are able t
3:40 ocontinue delivering such
3:42 critical assistance.
3:43 We are also considering a
3:45 bill to enhance reentry
3:47 introduction number 246
3:49 sponsored by councilmember
3:51 Hudson would require the
3:52 department of correction t
3:54 oreturn all unused commissary
3:55 funds to incarcerate
3:57 dindividuals in cash prior t
3:59 otheir relief and to clearly
4:00 inform them orally and in
4:02 writing and in a language they
4:05 understand of the remaining
4:06 balance in their accounts.
4:08 The bill would also prohibit
4:09 the charging of any fee for
4:11 the return of such funds and
4:14 require annual public
4:16 reporting on unclaimed
4:18 commentary balances in the
4:19 department's efforts to return
4:20 those funds this bill aims t
4:23 oensure those who have unused
4:25 funds received them at a time
4:26 they can be of most youth
4:28 . When they have limited
4:32 financial resources as they
4:33 look to get on their feet and
4:36 successfully reintegrate into
4:37 their communities when we
4:39 invest in meaningful
4:41 programming we are investing
4:43 in safer facilities safer
4:45 neighborhoods and safer excuse
4:47 me stronger families we must
4:48 do all we can to end the cycle
4:50 of recidivism and appropriate
4:52 and reliable programming can
4:54 clearly help in this regard I
4:57 think everyone here today for
4:58 participating in this hearing
4:59 . I look forward to a
5:02 thoughtful discussion about
5:03 how we can strengthen jail
5:04 program and to promote public
5:07 health improve reentry
5:08 outcomes and enhance public
5:10 safety for all New York er's
5:12 . Also want to acknowledge
5:13 that we've been joined by
5:23 councilmember Brewer I'll now
5:24 pass it to the committee
5:26 counsel to be able to swear in
5:29 the agency is thank you thank
5:36 you chair um we've a long list
5:39 of people testifying today so
5:41 I'll read off names from the
5:43 department of correction we
5:45 have commissioner stanley
5:46 richards nell cologne chelsea
5:50 chard James conroy and James
5:53 boyd from the department of
5:54 probation we have commissioner
5:56 goodwin wayne mckenzie deandra
6:01 deal drea Ana apologized
6:04 peterkin paul richards Tiffany
6:10 bell joshua young antonio
6:12 paulino and patricia Williams
6:15 from the Mayor office of
6:17 criminal justice we have nora
6:21 daniel deanna logan and molly
6:24 health services we have
6:33 jeannette moral if you can all
6:34 please raise your right hands
6:38 if you could do you affirm t
6:40 otell the truth the whole truth
6:41 and nothing but the truth
6:42 before this committee and
6:43 respond honestly to council
6:47 member questions
6:47 . Yes I do noting for the
6:48 record that all the witnesses
6:50 answered affirmatively you
6:51 begin your testimony good
6:58 morning thank you for having
7:01 us here cher Brooks Powers
7:03 members of council it's my
7:04 pleasure to be here today I'm
7:07 deana logan director of the
7:10 mars office of criminal
7:11 justice affectionately known
7:12 as mc j I'm joined here by
7:14 chief of staff nora daniel
7:16 executive director of research
7:19 innovation molly slav howare
7:21 we are exceptionally pleased
7:24 to be with our colleagues from
7:27 the department of probation
7:28 commissioner sharon goodwin
7:29 and her team and the
7:31 commissioner of the department
7:34 of richards we are excited t
7:36 owelcome them and look forward
7:38 to working together as we
7:41 bring New perspectives and
7:42 they bring New perspectives t
7:44 oaddressing the system
7:45 challenges that we all know we
7:47 have thank you for the
7:48 opportunity to discuss our
7:51 collective and interconnected
7:52 work to address recidivism let
7:55 me begin with just the simple
7:58 truth public health is public
8:01 safety long term sustainable
8:06 public safety requires
8:08 investing in people by
8:10 providing them with
8:12 individualized treatments and
8:13 supports that they need t
8:15 othrive mc j's mission is cleare
8:20 criminal legal system and
8:21 shrink its footprint and how
8:23 do we do that by shifting to a
8:26 restorative approach for
8:28 justice involved individuals
8:31 reducing incarceration and
8:32 recidivism and coordinating
8:34 swift and fair processes for
8:37 the entire justice involved
8:39 population our research helps
8:41 to direct criminal legal
8:43 system programming by
8:45 providing accurate picture of
8:46 the overall system.
8:49 It's important for me in
8:49 this morning to just orient us
8:51 with some of the data that's
8:54 concerning our current legal
8:56 system and recidivism rates
8:58 since 20 22 the jail
9:01 population rose 24% to
9:04 awhopping 6830 36 people in
9:07 custody and we have to be
9:10 honest that this census is a
9:13 concern.
9:14 And we will need to be
9:16 mindful and carefully monitor
9:18 with the of spring and summer
9:20 warming months coming of how
9:22 we address that population
9:26 increase also given that we
9:28 know that our borough based
9:30 jails capacity accommodates
9:32 only approximately 4000 people k
9:37 ahead these sobering numbers
9:39 are important to note given
9:41 that the jail population is
9:43 interlinked with issues of
9:45 recidivism
9:46 . Since 20 22 the one yea
9:49 rfelony recidivism rate of all
9:51 people in New York City court
9:54 systems remains at about 13%
9:56 citywide the one your felony
9:59 recidivism rate of people who
10:00 completed their time in rikers
10:02 and returned to the community
10:05 each year outpaced that
10:07 general court involved
10:08 population going from 30% t
10:12 o32% during this time at the
10:12 same time the length of stay
10:16 for complex cases as well as
10:18 case processing delays have
10:20 also contributed to an overall
10:21 increase in the jail
10:24 population
10:24 . Addressing recidivism is
10:26 beyond the ability for any one
10:30 single agency we all in this
10:32 room have a role to play and
10:35 mach j currently supports a
10:38 provider ecosystem of
10:39 programming that does include
10:42 supervised release
10:43 alternatives to incarceration
10:45 reentry services and
10:46 transitional housing we invest
10:48 in alternatives to jail which
10:50 thanks to our amazing
10:53 nonprofit partners offers
10:54 pathways towards stabilization t
10:59 participants do well in
11:02 existing programming
11:02 . But significant gaps still
11:04 remain in the system while
11:07 programs and services exist
11:09 the current demand for those
11:11 resources is higher than the
11:13 program can serve for instance y
11:19 800 beds available for our
11:21 transitional housing we know
11:22 that the need of people
11:23 leaving rikers is far greater
11:26 . Continued system
11:27 improvements require stronger
11:28 support for the program
11:30 staff's well being better
11:33 access to appropriately
11:33 appropriately matched services
11:35 and environments that foster
11:38 human connection and clinical
11:40 accidents a deeper recognition
11:42 overall in the criminal legal
11:44 system of the barriers that
11:45 people are facing and also
11:48 acknowledgement of the
11:49 strength that all of the
11:49 people that we serve have and
11:53 possess so what are we talking
11:58 about we are looking at and
11:59 making sure that we know and
12:00 note that while capacity is an
12:03 issue there is also a need for
12:06 programming and housing that
12:09 serve complex needs of justice
12:12 involved population given that
12:13 it really is a small number of
12:17 people
12:17 . With the highest needs that
12:20 represent a disproportionate
12:21 number of cases in the
12:23 criminal legal system we want
12:26 to ensure that there are
12:28 robust services and supports
12:31 specifically for this high
12:34 needs population
12:34 . These are the people that
12:35 are greatest likelihood of
12:37 falling through the cracks
12:38 time and time again and this
12:41 group currently makes up
12:42 approximately 40% of the
12:44 city's jail population were
12:47 able to see in the data that
12:49 people who need the most help
12:53 are cycling through a very
12:55 strained system it's important
12:56 that we focus on programs and
12:59 models that prioritize care
13:01 and support for complex needs
13:03 employing this lens we have
13:06 piloted some unique models and
13:09 programs that show promise
13:11 prioritizing the care and
13:12 promoting stability for
13:15 individuals together with our
13:19 contracted partners and the
13:20 support of this body we
13:23 introduced interventions such
13:25 as the intensive case
13:26 management known as and this
13:29 than make referrals they
13:35 actually walk without
13:38 participants they help them
13:39 with the services going to
13:41 treatments getting their
13:42 housing and making sure that
13:44 they comply with the court
13:46 orders they stay engaged even
13:48 when participants progress is
13:51 uneven and that is essential
13:53 this program has successfully
13:56 produced reductions in violent
13:58 felony recidivism among
14:00 participants it's a continuous
14:03 work in progress our
14:05 researchers are studying
14:06 what's working and what isn't
14:09 so I can continue to evolve
14:11 into one that's even stronger
14:13 solution that can be for the
14:15 entire City we are also we
14:17 also developed atlas which now
14:19 sits under the department of
14:20 youth and community
14:22 development and atlas uses
14:23 data to connect high risk
14:27 individuals with tailored
14:28 services and ongoing support
14:30 . Mc j continues to provide
14:32 quality assurance and
14:32 technical support to the
14:34 program what's really key t
14:36 ofocus on is atlas is voluntary
14:39 and the results so far are
14:42 promising even without a court
14:44 mandate a majority of
14:47 participants complete the
14:49 therapeutic services this
14:50 tells us that when people have
14:53 a safe place to live access t
14:56 otreatment without barriers and
14:58 a path to work we see that
15:01 they are far less likely t
15:03 oreturn to the system we are
15:06 committed to making this
15:07 reality for more and more New
15:10 yorkers by embedding public
15:11 health across the criminal
15:15 legal system atma jae we are
15:17 coordinating across agencies
15:18 to invest in people with the
15:20 highest needs so everyone in
15:22 New York benefits I'm not
15:24 going to.
15:25 Be untruthful this process
15:27 is going to take time but we
15:31 here are all aligned on these
15:34 objectives and are absolutely
15:36 committed to accomplishing
15:37 them together addressing
15:40 recidivism will require
15:43 sustained and focused
15:44 coordination and care across
15:45 agencies and for that I will
15:48 now hand off to my colleagues
15:50 at the department of probation
15:52 and correction and
15:53 correctional health to provide
15:57 more detail good morning your
16:02 most Powers good morning cheer
16:03 books Powers and members of
16:05 the committee I am shiran
16:07 goodwin commissioner of New
16:09 York City department of
16:12 probation.
16:12 We are pleased to be with
16:13 our colleagues deanna logan
16:15 director of the mayor's office
16:17 of criminal justice and
16:19 commissioner stanley richards
16:20 of the department of
16:21 corrections I am joined today
16:23 by general counsel wayne
16:25 mackenzie.
16:26 Deputy commissioner josh was
16:28 young deputy commissioner
16:30 patricia Williams associate
16:32 commissioner I am told antonio
16:35 palanivel senior director del
16:37 gina peterkin director Tiffany
16:38 bell and director paul
16:40 richards thank you for the
16:42 opportunity to discuss our
16:43 programming and the direction
16:45 we are taking under this
16:48 administration
16:49 . The department of probation
16:50 fulfills a dual role operating