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Better Care for Troubled Youth
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proposed allowing the New York City system, instead of the state system, to begin handling all but the most dangerous juvenile offenders. This is an excellent idea in principle, but the city and state must make sure that the quality of services is high and that a detailed plan is in place before they put this new policy into effect in the fall.
The state juvenile system has long been known for excessive violence, inadequate psychiatric services and high recidivism. Gladys Carrión, the commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services, has closed more than a dozen facilities, while encouraging localities to treat low-risk offenders in community-based programs.
Cities and counties have embraced the idea. A result is that the number of young people held by the state has plummeted from about 2,300 in 2000 to about 600 today, including about 230 that will end up in the city’s custody. That said, the low-risk youths in state custody have a complex array of problems and a great need for counseling and psychiatric services.
Under Governor Cuomo’s proposal, the state would redirect money to the city so that it could arrange care, including confinement, for less serious offenders. The new regime is expected to reap only modest savings. But city officials say they will be using nonprofit agencies that have lower personnel costs – and already provide the necessary services. Critics worry that nonprofit groups are not up to the job and that the new program will devolve into a patronage handout system. That must not be allowed to happen.
NYT Editorial
25 January 2012
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/better-care-for-troubled-youth.html
