DISTRICT ATTORNEY - NEW YORK COUNTY

NEWS RELEASE
February 8, 2008

Contact: Barbara Thompson
212-335-9400

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today that his office has begun the Fair Chance Initiative, an effort to assist recently-released inmates adjust to life outside of prison.  The aim of the initiative is to increase public safety by ensuring that recently-released inmates quickly receive the social services they need.  The initiative will also provide alternatives to re-incarceration for former inmates who get arrested for non-violent crimes. 

As part of the Fair Chance Initiative, the District Attorney’s Office will work with the New York State Division of Parole (State Parole) and many re-entry providers to address the major issues confronting the inmates who have recently been released, including the availability of substance abuse treatment, job training, and the need for housing. 

The Fair Chance Initiative formalizes the informal cooperation that presently exists between the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and re-entry service providers such as The Fortune Society and The Doe Fund, and will use the resources of the District Attorney’s Office to enhance the work of these organizations.  Former inmates released to Manhattan will be able to contact the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office directly and receive referrals to the appropriate re-entry service providers.  The District Attorney’s Office is working closely with The Doe Fund, The Fortune Society, and others to create a data base of available services for ex-offenders.

As part of the new initiative, the District Attorney’s Office will work with State Parole to identify parolees who have been re-arrested for non-violent misdemeanors, but may be appropriate candidates for drug or alcohol treatment, job training or other services provided by the cadre of re-entry providers.  In many cases now, a parolee who is re-arrested for a misdemeanor offense is returned to state prison for violating the conditions of parole – the new initiative will evaluate the parolee and his/her background, and determine whether an alternative to incarceration would be more beneficial.  The focus will be on former inmates who are arrested for non-violent offenses prosecuted in the Criminal Court in Manhattan.

The Fair Chance Initiative will expand the use of the Manhattan Misdemeanor Treatment Court (MMTC), furthering the objectives of the Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) program, which has proved successful in the Supreme Court for repeat felony offenders.  The District Attorney’s Office has participated in the MMTC since its inception in 2000, working with the court to screen defendants and monitor those who are admitted to treatment.   Expanding the client base of the MMTC to include more parolees who are re-arrested will reduce the caseload of matters awaiting trial or other disposition in Criminal Court; it will also save the costs of re-incarcerating many parolees for parole violations and ensure that substance abuse treatment is available for eligible parolees. 

Most important, the initiative will provide an incentive for parolee-defendants with substance abuse problems to undergo the rigors of treatment.  A parolee who is arrested and admitted to treatment will be required, first, to plead guilty to the new misdemeanor charges. A parolee-defendant who fails to complete treatment successfully will be returned to prison for violating parole and will, in addition, face sentencing on the misdemeanor charge. 

The District Attorney’s Office will work with The Doe Fund, The Fortune Society and other non-profit re-entry providers to obtain funding for the Fair Chance Initiative through grants from various funding sources, including Edward Byrne grants. Recently, funding for Byrne grants has been dramatically slashed by 67% but the District Attorney’s Office, working with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, will continue to advocate for increased funding and will again apply for grants to support the re-entry initiative.  In the interim, the District Attorney’s Office will absorb the cost of the initiative.

Mr. Morgenthau said, “As Chairman of the Police Athletic League, I am well-aware of the value of re-entry programs.  In addition to providing education and recreation programs to keep kids out of trouble, PAL has a re-entry program for inmates released from Riker’s Island.  I am eager to join with the other re-entry providers to ensure that even more recently released inmates in New York are able to take advantage of their expertise.  Everyone deserves a fair chance and a re-entry program gives people just that – another chance to become valuable and contributing members of society.”

New York State Division of Parole Chairman George B. Alexander said, “The Division of Parole welcomes the opportunity to partner with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office to create an important initiative that will boost public safety by helping offenders turn their lives around and become law-abiding, productive citizens. Collaborative efforts such as this will pay huge dividends for the safety and well-being of the residents of Manhattan. We applaud the District Attorney's recognition of the reentry needs of the offender population and the actions he is taking to address them.”

JoAnne Page, President and CEO of The Fortune Society said, “When men and women come home from prison and successfully rejoin the community, everybody wins including their families, their communities, and the taxpayer.  The Fortune Society is proud to be part of an exciting collaboration with the Manhattan DA's office and Parole that will give parolees a second chance to earn their freedom and build positive lives.  Each parolee who graduates from this program will create a better life for self and family and community, and each will save taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in prevented court and incarceration costs.  I commend both the Manhattan DA's Office and the Division of Parole for their leadership in this exciting justice initiative.”

"The Doe Fund, Inc. is excited to be part of the enlightened effort of District Attorney Morgenthau to break the cycle of incarceration by providing the opportunity to work and rebuild lives, while simultaneously increasing public safety and saving taxpayer money," said George T. McDonald, Founder and President of The Doe Fund, Inc.

Among those organizations joining in the District Attorney’s initiative are: The Doe Fund, Family Justice, America Works, the Fortune Society, Harlem Community Justice Center, Episcopal Social Services Network, Center for Employment Opportunities, National H.I.R.E. Network, Odyssey House, Phoenix House, DAYTOP,
Su-Casa, Veritas and Phase Piggyback.