Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 1 p.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Children and Youth
The Committee on Children and Youth held an oversight hearing on secure detention conditions and youth incarceration policies, focusing on the overcrowding crisis at the Horizons and Crossroads juvenile detention centers (352 youth in facilities certified for roughly 244 beds, with young people sleeping in classrooms, hallways, and common areas). Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark testified about information-sharing barriers with ACS, and an administration panel (ACS, the Department of Probation, and the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice) described the Mamdani administration's plan to reduce the detention census, expand alternatives to detention, and improve conditions. The committee also heard four pieces of legislation: a bill requiring a guide to alternatives to incarceration, a bill creating youth population review teams, a bill mandating annual training on identifying sexually exploited youth, and a resolution calling for New York City's inclusion in state Raise the Age funding. Council members repeatedly pressed the administration for greater urgency, and public testimony included union representatives from Local 371, service providers, defenders, and family members. No votes were taken; the legislation was discussed.
0:10 , Folks. Good afternoon and
0:10 welcome to today's New York
0:12 City Council hearing for the
0:13 committee on children and
0:15 youth at this time we asked
0:17 that you please silence all
0:18 electronic devices and at no
0:20 time at no time are you to
0:21 approach the day is do you
0:23 have any questions or would
0:24 like to sign up for in perso
0:26 ntestimony, please see one o
0:27 fthe sergeant in arms chair
0:28 .Stevens, we're ready to begin.
0:32 Good afternoon, everybody
0:33 .thank you all for dealing with
0:36 us as we change locations as
0:37 you guys can see there's a lot
0:39 of people here because this is
0:40 a very important topic and we
0:42 did not all fit in 250, s
0:43 othank you for being here and
0:44 thank you for staying with us
0:45 and being through this process
0:49 . Good afternoon. I'm
0:49 counselor out the of the
0:50 committee on children and
0:52 youth. Thank you all for being
0:53 here today on our over hearing
0:55 on security detention
0:56 conditions and used
0:57 incarceration policies in New
1:00 York City. I want to be clear
1:01 while we're here today. New
1:02 New York city's youth
1:03 detention systems are in a
1:05 crisis as of last week
1:07 crossroad in horizon help held
1:09 a combined population of 352
1:12 young people and detention and
1:13 in a detention facility with
1:17 about with us 244
1:18 certification of beds. This is
1:20 not a temporary surge this
1:22 population has climbed every
1:25 quarter more, um, every
1:26 quarter for more than a year
1:29 .young people are sibling
1:30 spaces that were never meant
1:32 for sleeping, receiving an
1:34 adequate education and being
1:36 funneled into a detention
1:37 system that cannot meet their
1:38 basic everyday moves staff are
1:43 stretched thin, um, to the
1:44 breaking point. Every person
1:45 in this building in those
1:47 young people and staff alike
1:49 deserve better than the
1:50 treatment they are receiving
1:53 right now I have toward these
1:54 facilities several times to
1:55 see the conditions for myself
1:56 and what I see is as
2:00 unacceptable
2:00 . We cannot claim to be a City
2:01 that believes in young people
2:03 while holding them in like
2:04 what I've seen. This is why in
2:07 I called for the release of
2:10 150 young people from secure
2:12 detention that call was not
2:16 radical. It was a response t
2:19 of everyone inside those
2:25 facilities, the City, the
2:28 court, prosecutors and
2:29 defenders came together and
2:31 safely brought the detention
2:32 population down within weeks,
2:36 we knew what can be, we know
2:37 what can be done. We need a
2:41 greater urgency. We also
2:42 cannot ignore who is being
2:43 held more than 96% of the
2:45 young people held in juvenile
2:47 offenders and adolescent
2:50 offenders charged are black
2:50 and hispanic youth. They
2:54 simple the simple young person
2:55 charged as an adolescent
2:56 offender has been held for
2:57 more than six months before
2:59 their cases resolved and some
3:00 have been held for more than
3:02 four years, the mass, the vast
3:04 majority of those and secured
3:06 detention are being held
3:09 pretrial many accounts and
3:10 many enter as teenager in turn
3:12 18 behind those walls,
3:13 whatever the outcome of those
3:14 cases, those delays are
3:16 robbing young people of the
3:16 time they will never get back.
3:20 Early this year, the
3:21 administration of children's
3:22 services, the mayor's office
3:23 of criminal justice, the
3:25 department of probation issued
3:28 a press release about a plan
3:29 to improve, secure the secured
3:31 detention conditions and
3:35 reduced overcrowding. I
3:36 welcome any serious efforts to
3:38 would this crisis, but a plan
3:39 is only as good as funding and
3:43 its timeline and and it
3:44 follows and it's followed
3:47 through and the press release
3:48 fell to include any of those
3:50 critical details today, this
3:51 committee intends t
3:53 oinvestigate exactly what steps
3:54 does administration plans to
3:57 take, including how they will
3:58 be funded. How things will be
4:00 funded and when New yorkers
4:01 can expect to see real results
4:05 we want specific numbers dates
4:07 , not general commitments we
4:09 know that there are exiting
4:11 programs that providers to
4:14 alternatives, attention
4:14 incarceration as well as a
4:16 transitional programs that are
4:17 designed to ease the reentry
4:19 process for young people post
4:21 relief in this case, it is not
4:24 about reinventing the wheel t
4:26 ofind solutions but
4:27 capitalizing upon existing
4:28 resources that are underfunded
4:31 and under utilized in addition
4:33 to the oversight topics. W
4:34 ewill also hear four pieces of
4:39 legislation today
4:39 . Introduction for David seven
4:40 , which I'm proud to sponsor
4:43 will require and in
4:47 consultation with oh to
4:50 develop a god of information
4:52 about alternatives,
4:53 incarcerations and
4:53 alternatives to the for
4:57 distribution to judges,
4:57 attorneys, public defenders
4:58 and use advocates and district
5:01 attorney's introduction 6 2 9,
5:03 sponsored by council members
5:05 ,sir, would require established
5:07 terms to review the
5:08 circumstances of every young
5:10 person held in security and
5:12 recommend recommend candidates
5:14 for early release or early
5:17 case resolution.
5:18 Introduction 9 7 7 sponsored
5:19 our Council Member luis will
5:21 require and City surprise
5:23 provide annual trainings to
5:26 staff on identifying sexually
5:27 .asked what a youth, including
5:28 risk factors common in and
5:30 trauma informed resources and
5:33 response of an available
5:35 support services. Resolute 7 4
5:37 , which I'm also sponsoring
5:37 calls for the and counting
5:41 enactment of legislation that
5:44 will require, um, with
5:45 entitled New York City to is
5:46 in New York City states raise
5:48 the age funding. So the
5:52 agency's testifying. Today we
5:53 need just to know that what is
5:55 working what is not and what
5:57 resources administrations
5:57 needed to address these issues
5:59 so young people and our cure
6:01 and family and their families.
6:02 We see you. We are not going
6:05 to stop pushing until these
6:07 conditions change. I would
6:08 like to thank my committee
6:10 staff senior policy analyst
6:12 elizabeth arts senior
6:13 committee counsel rail rhea
6:18 russell. Well, yep. Look at me
6:20 so their hard work and
6:21 preparing for this hearing
6:23 into the team, um, back in the
6:25 districts we 16 and greer make
6:28 you. Is there him know who
6:36 works oh , now we're read a
6:36 brief statement from council
6:38 member luis on her bill. I
6:44 want to think
6:47 . Um, chair Althea Stevens. Me
6:53 For her leadership on the
6:54 committee on children and
6:56 youth and for, um, commitment
6:58 to protecting the safety and
6:58 well being of young people
7:00 process City. I'm proud t
7:01 osponsor intro 9 7 7, whic
7:03 hwould require the
7:04 administration of children's
7:05 services and the department of
7:08 of community development t
7:08 oprovide an annual training for
7:09 staff who worked directly with
7:11 young people on identifying
7:13 sexually exploited young
7:14 people, sexual exploitation
7:15 and trafficking have been a
7:19 devastating consequence and
7:21 young people experiencing
7:23 exploitation face significant
7:24 barriers and seeking help the
7:25 adults who work with those
7:28 them must be equipped to
7:30 recognize warning signs
7:31 understand risk factors
7:32 respond with trauma, informe
7:33 dcare and connect young people
7:36 to available support services.
7:37 This legislation in that staff
7:40 received consistent training
7:42 to better identify vulnerable
7:43 young youth and respond with
7:45 the knowledge and sensitivity
7:47 .those young people deserve
7:48 every young person deserves to
7:49 be safe support and protected
7:51 from exploitation by
7:53 strengthening training and
7:54 awareness we can help ensure
7:55 that young people aren't
7:57 recognized, believed connected
7:57 to the resources tyhe need
8:02 that. That concludes council
8:03 member luis remarks, I will
8:04 turn it over to Council Member
8:06 wrestler to give his opening
8:07 remarks on his legislation.
8:12 Okay, great. Um
8:15 . The public advocate. I
8:16 believe he has opening remarks
8:17 . Thank you for joining us
8:21 . Thank you, Madam chair and
8:21 thank you for always making
8:22 sure we're focused on our
8:23 children, no matter where they
8:24 are, appreciate it as mention
8:27 my name money Williams public
8:28 abby in New York given I think
8:30 just Stevens and theembe mrs
8:31 of the committee on children
8:32 you for holding this important
8:34 hearing first as an day
8:35 approaches in the City is
8:36 already engaged in early
8:38 voting. I want to underscore
8:39 the importance of ensuring
8:40 that youth in custody who are
8:41 eligible to vote or able t
8:44 ovote. Last week, the cit
8:45 ycouncil passed legislation I
8:46 sponsored in show 7 97 that
8:48 requires the poem correctly to
8:49 report on voting activity,
8:51 right island or eligible New
8:53 yorkers should be able t
8:54 oexercise the right to vote
8:55 regardless of whether or not,
8:56 the incarcerated that should
8:58 also include, it says in our
9:00 children in these facilitie
9:04 sin the mom down the
9:04 administration announced a New
9:05 plan to invest in the city's
9:07 youth. This plan aims to
9:08 reduce the number of young
9:09 people and security attention
9:10 improve the conditions who are
9:12 in custody
9:13 . And strength and resources
9:13 in the community while a
9:16 number of those in secure
9:17 detention has plummeted from
9:17 its peak in the super predator
9:19 . Today's of the 80s and 90s
9:21 the City county does not have
9:22 average daily population
9:27 across was and horizon was 385
9:31 people, though they are not
9:32 supposed to house more than
9:33 244
9:34 . People, many youth and
9:35 secured attention sleeping
9:37 bunker quote unquote barker
9:39 .Banks, also called boats or
9:41 shallow plastic tube with the
9:41 max on the floor
9:44 . In hallways or spaces like
9:45 classrooms, disrupting the
9:46 sleeve and education. The
9:48 access to bathroo andms adding
9:49 pressure to an already high
9:52 stress environment. New York
9:53 City has long failed t
9:53 oprovide an adequate education
9:54 to youth and secured
9:55 attentions. This population is
9:56 more likely to arrive behind
9:58 the grade level and it is
10:00 fortunately, unfortunately
10:00 likely to have a learning or
10:03 emotional disability. I was in
10:03 New York City has failed to
10:05 provide children even outside
10:06 of these detention facilities
10:08 are adequate education, but
10:09 that's for a different hearing
10:12 . A many other students
10:12 enrolled in passage academy
10:13 ,which provides education t
10:15 ostudents in custody do not
10:16 receive the special education
10:17 plan to which they are
10:18 entitled within 30 days of a
10:21 moment. It's no surprise then
10:21 that those released from
10:23 detention have difficulty
10:24 reconnecting with or engaging
10:25 education. There was a clear
10:26 need for more traditional
10:27 services for those exiting
10:29 detention to help youth and
10:30 their families that these
10:31 students rain role, unattended
10:35 school violence, the
10:35 contraband, also persistent
10:36 issues of the sentence. You've
10:38 detention centers. Jail is a
10:39 . Stressful environment for
10:41 anyone
10:41 . Let alone young people who
10:42 are still lying to regulate
10:44 their emotions and settle
10:47 interpersonal conflicts, the
10:47 overcrowding in a consistent
10:49 access to activities such as
10:50 schools only exacerbate the
10:51 existing preuresss of being in
10:53 lockup.
10:54 While every young person in
10:55 custody must have their own
10:56 space in which to sleep and
10:58 its detention facilities t
10:59 oaccommodate more youth just
11:02 want to caution against any
11:04 broad expansions in securing
11:06 detention beds too many time
11:07 swe've seen that if we build I
11:08 t, they will come the mayor's
11:10 plan to improve conditions,
11:11 attention, increased services
11:12 and risk resource in the
11:13 community is an important step
11:16 and a reminder that we should
11:17 be focused less on increasing
11:18 capacity, more incarcerating.
11:19 You're young for too long for
11:22 too long we have focused
11:22 resources on the moving people
11:24 from our community instead of
11:26 supporting those communities
11:27 directly on this
11:28 administration, we have a
11:28 chance to make meaningful
11:29 lasting change for young
11:31 people in the City I know this
11:33 is difficult a conversation
11:36 for everyone involved. I do
11:36 want to recognize there
11:37 haven't been. Anthony was
11:38 president local Eric set him.
11:39 Adrienne Won a lot of the
11:40 unions who are here. I know
11:42 you're doing his best job you
11:43 can. There, you know you need
11:45 resources as well. Hopefully
11:45 we can work together to figur
11:49 ethis out, so everybody feels
11:49 safe and is safe and young
11:52 people return to the
11:52 communities, hopefully in a
11:54 better condition than they
11:54 came in. Thank you. Thank you
11:59 on public africa for being
12:00 here and as you guys can see.
12:01 We also have an expanded
12:02 committee today, so shut outs
12:04 on my my colleagues who are
12:05 here, so thank you,
12:08 councilmember Felder Joseph
12:12 Williams Nurse. Oh, say I and
12:15 ressler. Thank you guys all
12:17 for being here at this time I
12:19 would like to call the first
12:23 panel he said he was opening.
12:26 Oh , didn't say that. Okay,
12:28 well
12:28 , Lincoln would like to say
12:29 thank you, chair Stevens, I I
12:32 just want to take a moment t
12:35 othank the chair who you know
12:36 ,everybody says is like the
12:40 biggest and best fighter for
12:41 our young people, which is
12:43 true, but she did something
12:44 special in advance of this
12:45 hearing, which is that she
12:47 invited many of us in the
12:48 council to come on tours of
12:49 horizons and crossroads. So
12:51 almost everybody who's up here
12:52 today over the last four or
12:54 five weeks has spent time in
12:55 horizons in cross and seen for
12:57 ourselves just how troubling
12:58 the situation is, um and so I
13:02 really want to thank you for
13:03 your leadership on this issue
13:04 because it is an urgent one
13:08 . You know when the population
13:08 of children and secured
13:10 attention the population of
13:11 children and security
13:12 attention has more than