Organization Details

The Midtown Community Court was the first of its kind in the world ? a neighborhood-based court that pursues innovative responses to persistent community problems.

The Midtown Community Court holds low-level offenders accountable for their actions by sentencing them to perform community restitution that is immediate, visible, and meaningful. At the same time, the Court helps offenders address underlying problems, such as homelessness, unemployment and substance abuse, by linking them to on-site social services like drug treatment, job training, and mental health counseling.

The goal is to give offenders the structure and support they need to avoid re-offending.

Every year 15-20% of the defendants who come through the Midtown Community Court for crimes like shoplifting, prostitution, and minor drug possession are age 21 or younger.

Many of these young people lack a high school education and meaningful job skills.

As a result, their employment prospects are limited at best.

This presents a serious challenge for those seeking to prevent these youth from cycling through the criminal justice system again and again.

Experience indicates that individuals who are gainfully employed are much less likely to engage in self-destructive and criminal behavior.

Recognizing this, in 2004 the Midtown Community Court opened Times Square Youth, a program that provides crucial job readiness training and job placement assistance to young people ages 16 ? 21 who are either ex-offenders or are otherwise at risk of becoming entangled with the justice system.

Each year, Times Square Youth serves 60 people.

Address

314 West 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
(646) 264-1329

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