Stimulus Money for Criminal Justice

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg held a press conference along with local district attorneys and assorted representatives from Congress to announce that the City has received $29 million in stimulus money to be used for criminal justice. Included in the list of projects that will be supported are a new city-wide community service program that we will be working on (about which I'm sure I'll write more later), the Red Hook Community Justice Center and the Midtown Community Court. Congressman Jerry Nadler specifically cited the Midtown Community Court and the Red Hook Community Justice Center, "which are located in my district and serve thousands of New Yorkers, promising to reduce rates of recidivism, improve local communities, and save the City money in the long term.” In a similar vein, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez said, “This $29 million will reduce crime and help keep our communities safe. In Brooklyn, these funds will enable the Red Hook Community Justice Center to build on their already successful programs.” The press release can be found here.