Changing the Court

Golf Course May be Coming to the Bronx

2012-01-10T15:30:00.001-05:00

Economic development and access to quality jobs is always a hot topic among Bronxites. In fact, referrals for employment and job training are some of the hardest for our case managers to find for clients. Will the proposed golf course create more jobs for the Borough? The New York Times article below discusses the controversial course.

Plan for Trump to Run a Bronx Golf Course Has Critics

By RAY RIVERA

Published: January 9, 2012

Some watchdog groups are questioning a proposed deal that would allow Donald J. Trump to operate a planned golf course at Ferry Point Park.

BCS Welcomes Spectators to Pinstripe Bowl

2012-01-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

By Moises Reyes, Community Service Crew Supervisor

On December 31, 2011 Bronx Community Solutions closed the year by assisting the 161 Street Business Improvement District by beautifying the area and welcoming fans to the Pinstripe Bowl, where Rutgers University played Iowa State at Yankee Stadium.

The community service crew started the day by cleaning 161st and 162st streets at River, Gerald, and Walton Avenues. The Crew then spent the rest the day greeting and welcoming fans by handing out fliers with discounts for dining and other Bronx-based businesses and events. The crew also had the opportunity to shake hands with Senator Jose Serrano.

This community service event was an excellent example of how community service mandates can assist the community and while providing offenders with the opportunity to pay restitution and do good works.

BCS Will Participate in Public Safety & Quality of Life Public Hearings

2012-01-03T16:18:00.000-05:00

On Friday, January 27th, 2012 Bronx Community Solutions will participate in Community Board 7's Public Safety & Quality of Life Public Hearing. The Hearing is from 6PM - 9PM at Monroe College, in the King Hall Gym at 2501 Jerome Avenue, Bronx NY 10468

This pubic hearing is being called in response to residents who have expressed frustration to the Community Board about quality of life issues throughout the district. In response, Bronx Community Board 7 has invited neighborhood residents, elected officials, and representatives from city agencies to express their concerns.

Participants who enroll in advance will be given the opportunity to speak first. To enroll, send a copy of your testimony along with full contact information (name, address, phone, and organization name) to info@BronxCB7 info no later than Friday, January 20, 2012 by 12 noon. If you do not have access to e-mail, you may mail your testimony to: Bronx Community Board 7, 229A East 204th Street, Bronx NY 10458 no later than Monday, January 16, 2012.

For more information about this hearing, contact the Community Board at 718-933-5650/5651

Bronx Community Solutions Has Moved!!!

2011-12-29T11:43:00.000-05:00

All of the Bronx Community Solutions Offices are now on the second floor of the Bronx Criminal Court. Our Intake Office is now located in Room 2-13 and the Social Services Clinic is located in Room 211 classes are still offered in Room 211-C.

The move was organized so that construction can begin on the main floor. Bronx Community Solutions will occupy this space for abut two years, while new space is built on the second floor.This space will include administrative offices, classroom space and space for the Social Services Clinic and Intake Office.

We look forward to the construction being completed, but for the interim are at-home and settled in the new space and ready to serve court players, the community, and of course clients.

Community Service Program Helps Maintain the West Bronx Recreation Center

2011-12-07T17:38:00.000-05:00

By Moises Reyes, Coordinator of Community Service

Bronx Community Solutions prides itself on having good relationship with community service partners, and we have developed an excellent relationship with the Parks Department . Recently, Bronx Community Solutions was contacted by Michele R. Griffin, staff analyst from West Bronx Recreation Center, on Jesup Avenue, run by the Parks Department. Michele is very familiar with the work of Bronx Community Solutions, as she has been the contact person for community service compliance sheets. When she heard that the West Bronx Recreation Center needed some work, she immediately contacted Bronx Community Solutions for assistance. Bronx Community Solutions has cleaning the recreation center weekly as they had no staff to clean the facility. This Center is now being utilized for after school athletic programs in the Bronx.

Bronx Community Solutions is always looking to support any organization that benefits Bronx residents. If your organization has a need that our community service crew can fulfill such as painting, clearing, or cleaning, please contact Moises Reyes, Coordinator of Community Service at mreyes@courts.state.ny.us

New Jennifer Lopez Fiat Commercial Features Project ACT Mural

2011-11-22T17:12:00.000-05:00

The new Jennifer Lopez Fiat commercial features the mural created through Bronx Community Solution's Project ACT. You will see her driving by an I Love the Bronx Mural, that's it!!
Click the link below to watch, and enjoy!

Click Here

West Side Highway Graffiti Removed

2011-11-09T11:21:00.001-05:00

West Side Highway Graffiti Removed

This time lapse-video, linked above, produced by the Center for Court Innovation, shows a team of court-mandated offenders cleaning a site along the West Side Highway in Manhattan as part of NYC Community Cleanup. The cleanup shown here took place August 11, 2011. For more information about this particular cleanup event, read this article in the Manhattan Times.

Daily News Article Highlights the Need for Community Court in Brownsville

2011-11-07T11:04:00.000-05:00

Brownsville murder of Zurana Horton highlights need for a renewed fight against gun crime

The death of a mother of 12 stuns a Brooklyn community

BY Greg Jackson And Gerald Thomas
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

The full article is located on-line, here.

It has been more than two weeks since a rooftop gunman fatally shot Zurana Horton as she shielded several children outside a Brownsville school. In that time, the community has grappled with fear, anger and sadness as police arrested the shooter, and as 12 children buried their heroic mother.

In 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois wrote famously, “The chief problem in any community cursed with crime is not the punishment of the criminals, but the preventing of the young from being trained to crime.” Horton’s senseless murder underscores the continuing significance of these words.

In Brownsville, faced with a shortage of opportunity, too many young people have bought into the notion that a life of violence and crime is acceptable — that it’s okay to rob, steal and “bust guns.” But in the wake of Horton’s death, Brownsville cannot wait any longer. We need a new strategy for reducing youth gun violence, with buy-in from all stakeholders, including the Police Department.

Recently, the neighborhood has witnessed a disturbing wave of violence, including more than 24 murders and at least two shootings at schools since the start of the year. A recent survey by the Center for Court Innovation shows that more than 70% of Brownsville residents now identify gun violence as a major problem facing their community. Countless marches and vigils have rallied neighbors to take action, but a key question lingers: What shall that action be? In the wake of tragedy, we must develop and rapidly implement a plan to make Brownsville’s most recent shooting its last. To do this, we must bring parents, educators, law enforcement, local government and others to the same table to discuss solutions to the problem of youth gun violence in our neighborhood.

We need not start from scratch to be successful. Innovative programs like Ceasefire in Chicago and Save Our Streets in Crown Heights offer promising models and prove that real results are possible. These initiatives have trained former offenders as “violence interrupters” to identify and build safe relationships with potential perpetrators, discouraging retaliation and stopping youth gun violence before it occurs.

We ought to convene a distinguished working group on youth violence, with representation from government, local universities and residents of Brownsville to identify and import the best community-based programs in the country. This would mark a measurable first step toward ensuring that our most at-risk youth have a chance to thrive.

It is heartening to know that we are not alone in our efforts. Led by our own mayor, elected officials across the country have taken on the issue of gun violence in notable ways. More than 600 mayors from urban areas and small towns have joined the coalition, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which looks to stop the flow of illegal guns into America’s cities.

Violence on our streets is never the result of disputes or rivalries alone. It stems from a feeling of despair and a lack of optimism about the future. What we need in Brownsville is not simply a crime- fighting strategy to address the symptoms of this despair, but a community-building strategy to bring shared hope and opportunity back to the neighborhood. Our task should be to create alternatives to violence by boosting employment opportunities, improving health and housing resources and investing in schools — working at every level to ensure that Brownsville is not left behind.

In recent weeks, Brownsville has buried its dead; now, it is time to act. We have met together, grieved together, marched and kept vigil together. Now, let us come together to devise a plan to stop youth gun violence. Let’s bring hope back to Brownsville.

Jackson is director of the Brownsville Recreation Center. Thomas is managing director of the Brownsville Partnership.

Bronx Community Solutions Creates Community Advisory Board Directory

2011-10-28T15:41:00.000-04:00

Bronx Community Solutions completed its Community Advisory Board Directory. The directory was distributed to Advisory Board members at the September 28 Community Advisory Board meeting. The need for a directory was identified by members of the board who requested a way to get in touch with each other between meetings. This directory will enable group members to continue to collaborate and share information throughout the year. The list of organizations included in the directory is below. If you would like a copy of the directory, please contact the Bronx Community Solutions Community Initiatives Coordinator, TK Singleton at tksingle@courts.state.ny.us.

bRONX COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS. 2

bronx district attorney robert johnson

bronx lebanon

bronx school for law, government and justice

center for employment opportunities

cornerstone

council of the enviornment

fegs

fDNY Community Affairs

Human Resources Administration

Liberty Management

narco freedom

NYPD 48^th Precinct

NYPD Bronx Borough Patrol

phoenix house

promesa

vertex llc

V.i.p. services

worldvision

Bronx Community Solutions Assists in Hurricane Irene Aftermath

2011-10-07T12:00:00.004-04:00

Written by TK Singleton, Community Initiates Coordinator

We all remember how hurricane Irene closed “the city that never sleeps.” Many areas across the five boroughs were designated evacuation zones, the Bronx not being spared. City Island, a tiny island off the Long Island sound, was hit and the municipal services came in and began clean-up. But, what happens when the lines blur- who cleans where? Who is responsible for this part or that? Usually when such lines/roles are crossed, something gets left behind and that is what happened to a small beach area on City Island, located in between a residential community and an elementary school.

Hurricane Irene blew into City Island like a mighty whirl wind and as she left, she left over a ton of mussels on a small beach area that both parks and sanitation had no jurisdiction to clean. What is a community to do? What can the city do? In this situation, the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU) creates the plan of action. As the Bronx Director calls for the assistance of Bronx Community Solutions, plus other municipal partners such as sanitation and parks to create a clean-up collaborative effort. “We need you do make the impossible, possible!” stated by the CAU borough director George Torres.

As Moises Reyes, coordinator of community service begins to assess the area, he realizes that such an endeavor will be a two part process because of the amount of mussels that are left on the beach shore that is adjacent to a school playground. On the first day, He and other community service supervisors with a crew of twelve, began scooping up rotten mussels to create a pathway to the mountains of other mussels. As the crew members hear school bells, they realize that this smelly and challenging community service clean-up is more about the community at-large, especially the playful elementary school age youth.

On the first day the Community Service crew collected over two hundred bags of tiny mussels. The second day(a week later) they collected another two hundred bags and realized surprisingly that they had to create a third day because they still had a two mountains of muscles left on the beach. As the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit Bronx Borough Director came to view the clean-up he stated “the impossible is never your solution- Thanks Bronx Community Solutions!”

New System Proposed for Juvenile Offendors

2011-09-21T16:38:00.000-04:00

N.Y. / REGION

New York Judge Seeks New System for Juveniles

By MOSI SECRET

Published: September 20, 2011

A judge is proposing that the state take a less punitive approach to dealing with 16- and 17-year-old defendants.

Bronx Community Solutions has offered alternative sentencing options geared towards youth aged 16 -21 since its inception five years ago. Now, the Chief Judge of the State of New York, Johnathon Lippman is proposing that 16 and 17 years olds with less serious crimes be sent to juvenile court (instead of criminal court) where there are more social services available. This follows the Bronx Community Solutions model of using an arrest as an opportunity to use interventions that could create positive changes in an individuals life. Bronx Community Solutions will be following this new legislation, and adjusting services appropriately.

Bronx Recovery Center Organizes Symposium to Address Stigma

2011-09-14T15:07:00.012-04:00

On Saturday, September 10, 2011 The Bronx Community Recovery Center, in association with the Bronx Cooperative Alliance, Palladia Inc., Delta Sigma Theta and Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, hosted a half day forum, Breaking the Stigma.

Mandy Restivo, Deputy Project Director of Bronx Community solutions, and Co-Chair of the Bronx Reentry Working Group had the honor o f addressing the sixty person audience as the key note speaker. Below, please find an excerpt of her speech. The full speech is available at files.me.com/mrestivo/htt1py

Good morning, I am honored to be here today to talk with each of your about the important issue of reentry and the role of stigma.

To get us going this morning, I want us to get a sense of who is in the room:

n Raise your hand if you have a family member who was formerly or is currently involved in the criminal justice system.

n Raise your hand if you work for a reentry program, other non-profit organization, or a religious institution.

n Raise your hand if you have been home from incarceration for one year or more, three years or more, five years or more, and finally, ten years or more.

n Raise your hand if your involvement in the criminal justice system does not define you. If you are more than someone who is “reentering society”

The title of the conference today is Breaking Stigma. Stigma occurs when one aspect of a person defines the entire person in a negative way—when your identity is reduced to just one characteristic or event. Every single person in this room is more than their criminal record, more than their job, more than their status as father, mother, brother, or daughter.Yet we are each called here because we are touched, personally, by the criminal justice system and the issue of reentry. Because we care, and want to see change occur for ourselves, and our communities.

The Borough of the Bronx, and those in the reentry community, face stigma every day. This stigma is reinforced by the statistics that are told over and over again.

For the Bronx, one phrase, “the Bronx is burning,” has defined this Borough for decades. The Bronx is seen as a borough of crime, poverty, and despair. The statistics that are repeated constantly reinforce this image. Statistics such as: In the Bronx there are over 29,000 people living with AIDS. The Bronx is ranked as the unhealthiest of New York’s 62 counties. The Bronx has the highest unemployment rate in the state; and 31% of Bronx residents live below the poverty level[1]. 128,313 former inmates live in the community and as many as 12 per 1,000 residents are newly released each year[2]. The story here, while holding truth, also misses the mark in a big matter --- the strengths of the Borough and its people. The people of the Bronx are resilient. This Borough is filled with art, culture, and industry. Not to mention, the Bronx Zoo, the NY Botanical Gardens, and Yankee Stadium, home of the only 27-time world champions anywhere.

On some level, we have internalized the negative stereotypes, believing we are second class citizens as compared to the rest of the city. Some of you may remember the “earthquake” we had a few weeks ago. My favorite quote of the day was “If this was Manhattan, they would have evacuated us.” We, as a Borough, should not wait for someone else to come save us. If things are that bad, we might just need to symbolically evacuate ourselves and start the hard work of rebuilding.

...

The challenge is: How do we break stigma while addressing the issues that face our communities? The antidote is two-fold. The first is to examine and acknowledge the systemic issues that lead to mass incarceration of certain populations, and the second is to create communities that empower individuals to thrive. First, the systemic issues. In 2008, New York City paid $539 million to imprison residents sentenced to prison or jail. A disproportionate amount of these residents came from 24 of New York City’s neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are home to about 16 percent of the city’s adult population, but account for over 50 percent of the city’s admissions to prison each year[3].

In order to address these systemic issues, we need active, engaged, voting citizens. This brings me back to the individual. Martin Luther King said “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” Following this logic, our lives begin when we speak up about the things that matter. This symposium today is an opportunity for you to begin to talk about the things that matter: to understand your rights, to engage in challenging conversations about masculinity and manhood, to create healthier support systems. It is only through true community engagement and building that we will be able to address the very real issues of stigma, addiction, unemployment, housing shortages, and mass incarceration. Very real conversations need to be had with employers to address their reasons for being reticent to hire those people formerly involved in the criminal justice system, and each side may need to hear some hard truths. Family members who may have been hurt will need to find their way toward forgiveness. Relationships will need to be repaired. Politicians will need to be engaged; the media will need to be written to. The work of rebuilding ourselves, our families, and our communities will not be easy, but I believe each of us is up for the challenge.

There is currently a void to be filled in the conversation about reentry and the criminal justice system in the Bronx. That void should be filled by the individuals in this room, because if we do not tell our stories, someone else will, and we might not like the narrative. So I ask you again: Are you more than your criminal justice record? How many of you are willing to do the internal and external work necessary to address the very real issues faced by Bronx residents? How many of you are ready to serve as role models for the people in this room, but also for the youth in our communities? The antidote to stigma is action, may each of you find the resources and support today to begin to do the active work of rebuilding yourselves, your families and communities.

It is an honor to be here today, and to have the chance to build a different story of hope, healing and promise.

[1] Mellow, J., et al., Mapping the innovation in correctional health care service delivery in New York City. Available

from: http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/centersinstitutes/pri/publications.asp

[2] Glaze, L., & Bonczar, T.P. (2005).Probation and Parole in the United States, 2005. Bureau of Justice Statistics,

U.S. Department of Justice: Washington, DC.

[3] NAACP Misplaced Priorities: Over Incarcerate, Under Educate, 2011 Available at http://naacp.3cdn.net/ecea56adeef3d84a28_azsm639wz.pdf

Journey of A Jobless Man

2011-09-07T14:10:00.003-04:00

The New York Times article below, published on September 2, highlights the difficulties with finding a job in our new economy. The struggle to find stable employment is compounded when one has a criminal background and no college degree. The Bronx Reentry Working Group, a coalition of Bronx-based community partners, academics, corrections officials, reentry organizations policy makers and residents committed to addressing the social and health disparities of individuals with histories of criminal justice involvement has created an economic development subcommittee to seek out ways to address this very issue. If you are interested in getting involved or learning more, please contact Mandy Restivo at mrestivo@mac.com

Hope, Fear and Insomnia: Journey of a Jobless Man

By JENNIFER GONNERMAN

Published: September 2, 2011

Frederick Deare lost his job in a Bronx factory on June 25, 2010. How does a 53-year-old with only a G.E.D. find a job in the new economy?

2011-09-02T11:28:00.001-04:00

The Bronx Community Recovery Center, in association with the Bronx Cooperative Alliance,
Palladia, Inc, Delta Sigma Theta and Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, will be hosting a half day forum.
“Breaking the Stigma”: The F.I.R.M. Symposium (Formerly Incarcerated Recovering Men & Women)

Saturday, September 10, 2011
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
1376 Prospect Avenue
Bronx, NY 10459

Topics will include:
From the Prisons to Community – Re-entering Society
Street Law vs. Real Law – Knowing Your Rights as a Citizen
Breaking the Vicious Cycle - Creating Positive Social Networks
Brother 2 Brother - Redefining Manhood
Panel Discussion:
What are the barriers re-entering into society? How can we help?
Employment, Housing, Family Support and more

Refreshments will be served.
Admission is free, but you must RSVP as seats are limited.
For more information or to RSVP, please contact:
Aja Stubbs (718) 292-5788 ext. 8654 or astubbs@phoenixhouse.org

Transportation:
Train: 2 or 5 Train to Freeman Street
Bus: BX15 to Prospect Place – Ritter Avenue

Artist Renders 161st Street BID

2011-08-25T15:42:00.006-04:00

An up and coming artist by the name of Lawrence "Hanibal" Parker was recently commissioned by Cary Goodman, Executive Director of the 161st Street Business Improvement District (BID), to creat an artistic rendition of the BID and its many unique neighborhood characteristics.

The BID rendition is believed to be the first in the Borough and possibly in the City. Mr. Goodman is hoping that all the other Business Improvement Districts assist the artist in creating portraits as well.

Juvenile Service Learning Summer Project Highlighted in Daily News

2011-08-03T13:54:00.008-04:00

On Monday, August 8th the Juvenile Service Learning Project, along with staff from BCS Community Service Crew worked on a graffiti removal project and which included a site visit to Tuff City, a Bronx-based multimedia entertainment services. At first the youth were not to happy about going to paint over graffiti in 90 degree weather, but they "warmed up" to the idea after we talked about the impact this has on their community. We tried to get them to understand that what they were doing was helping a community look neat and clean and it was a way to contribute to the Bronx. After we finished the painting we went to Tuff City where they met the owner and artist, MED. Who is very passionate about inspiring youth and young adults to find ways to turn their lives around. Some of the people who worked there spoke of there past dealings with jail, the streets and drugs and how they changed their thinking and behavior. During the visit the kids were able to show their own 'artistic flair' on a designated wall in the back of the buildings space. The day started off with resistance but ended with the kids enjoying the experience and expanding their minds

Written by: Justin Briggs
Youth Engagement/Community Service Specialist

The Daily News Article can be accessed by clicking the title above, or here.

The Components of Uncommon Community Service

2011-07-08T15:34:00.004-04:00

At Bronx Community Solutions we call our community service program “Uncommon" Why? Because our community service is not just about cleaning up communities, it is about creating a better Bronx by empowering the community and our clients.

The components of uncommon community service are:

1) 1. Caring for clients and the community.

Client safety and well-being are our top concerns. Clients are given clear instructions on how to conduct community service safely, and rules are followed for the good of the group. Community Service Crew Supervisors spend more time with clients than any other staff member. We use this time to try and connect individuals with referrals to job training programs, treatment, and GED programs. The community service crew has learned how to approach clients according to their needs including mental health, homelessness, physical disability, anger issues, family issues, substances abuse, and others.

We also care for the community by addressing issues and concerns by listening to the community. We attend Community Board Meetings, keep our eye on the news for Bronx events, and talk to community members about their concerns so we can plan impactful community service projects that utilize community partners.

3) 2. Partnering with community organizations.

By partnering with other organizations such as the Parks Department, Sanitation Department, Department of Transportation, Police Department, World Vision, Catholics Charities, Sustainable South Bronx, local business owners, Family Court, Probation, and the Bronx Defenders we are able to offer community service to nearly 10,000 clients per year. We are also able to effectively serve the community and make a greater impact than we could on our own. The willingness to be flexible strengthens our bond with the community.

4. Ensuring accuracy in reporting.

Reporting to the Court with accuracy is essential to an effective community service program. We work closely with our community partners to ensure we receive attendance sheets in a timely fashion, and have recently begun sending and receiving lists electronically.

5.Fostering Teamwork.

The community service crew is a team, and this team is part of the larger Bronx Community Solutions team and the Center for Court Innovation team. We have worked hard to understand how each part affects the whole. The program has set goals individually and together to ensure that we are always reaching new heights. The team has also learned about each other’s weaknesses and strengths and has helped each team member reach their full potential. We have provided opportunities for team members to Learn new skills so they can become a leader at the job, in the community, and in their personal life.

STARS Counselor/Adovcate Testifies before the New York City Council

2011-06-28T11:25:00.010-04:00

The STARS (Services to Access Resources and Safety) Advocate/Counselor, Sarah Dolan, testified yesterday at the New York City Council hearings on Sex Trafficking. Below, is the text of her testimony. The STARS initiative, funded by the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, is a project of the Center for Court Innovation at two demonstration projects, Bronx Community Solutions and Midtown Community Court. The entire STARS team is thrilled with the testimony.

Sarah Dolan

Advocate Counselor

Sanctuary for Families

Testimony before the New York City Council

June 27, 2011

Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure and an honor to testify before you today. My name is Sarah Dolan, and I work for Sanctuary for Families on one of its newest projects: Services to Access Resources and Safety, or STARS. The STARS project acknowledges the unique needs of adult survivors of sex trafficking and seeks to provide them with trauma-sensitive services as an alternative to incarceration. As the Advocate Counselor, I am based full-time in the Bronx Criminal Court and work in conjunction with Bronx Community Solutions. Working with women on an individual and group basis, I conduct counseling sessions, provide safety planning and case management services, and link victims to a range of other legal, health, and social services. Funded by the federal Office on Violence Against Women, the project’s mandate in the broadest sense is to shift society’s understanding of women arrested for prostitution from one of “offender” to that of “victim”.

For many, the term “prostitute” conjures up an image of a woman selling her body for sex because she chooses to because “she likes it”. I am here to tell you that of the nearly one hundred women I’ve seen in the last year, not a single one of them stays in the commercial sex industry because she wants to. And why would she? When 94% of women in street prostitution experience sexual assault, 80% have experienced or been threatened with violence, and 75% have been raped by one or more buyers, we must question the assumption that these women are on the street because they choose to be there. So why do they stay? They stay not because they like it, but because after a lifetime of trauma and abuse, and stigmatized by a lengthy criminal record, they literally have no other choice. STARS exists to give them that choice back.

Lakeesha’s first arrest occurred when she was just 15 and under the control of a pimp, her trafficker. At the time she encountered him, Lakeesha had run away first from a home in which her stepfather was molesting her, and then from a group home that failed to give her the love and support she desperately needed. Like many domestic sex trafficking victims, Lakeesha believed that her trafficker was her boyfriend. She carried out his demands that she prostitute because she both feared and loved him. Just as Lakeesha was simultaneously a domestic violence victim and sex trafficking victim, her pimp was simultaneously her batterer and her trafficker. Both the UN Trafficking Protocol and the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act recognize that children subjected to exploitation by an adult are inherently powerless and vulnerable, making Lakeesha, at 15 years old, a victim of sex trafficking.

Now, at 20, Lakeesha is still in prostitution, although not under pimp control. Some might contend that Lakeesha has become a free agent and is no longer a trafficking victim, but those of us at Sanctuary believe otherwise. Adult women in prostitution who first experience sexual exploitation as children (which we may assume to be the majority of prostituted women, since the average age of entry into prostitution is 13), should be recognized and protected as trafficking victims. But, if there is no pimp, then who is the trafficker? Under the standard of the UN Trafficking Protocol, which understands traffickers to be those who harbor or receive prostituted people by means of “the abuse of power or a position of vulnerability”, it is evident that sex industry buyers or “johns”, who prey on vulnerable women like Lakeesha, should also be considered traffickers.

The tragic reality is that trafficked children often remain in conditions of prostitution as adults because they are so deeply traumatized that they see no alternative. And while I just said that they see no alternative, it would be more correct to say that no alternative exists for them. We wonder, “why they don’t just get out there and get a ‘real job’?” When Lakeesha tried to do just that, by participating in a training program and applying to get ‘a real job’ with a home health care agency, she was denied employment eligibility by the Department of Health due to her eight convictions for prostitution, the first of which took place when she was still a minor and under the control of her pimp. Trafficking survivors are being arrested in the hope that it’ll ‘teach them a lesson’ and be the impetus they need to stop selling sex for good. However, each arrest only lengthens their criminal record, further stigmatizes them as criminals, and provides yet another obstacle in their way to engaging in legitimate employment.

So what, then, is the solution? First, we must begin to recognize that the vast majority of adult women in prostitution are victims of childhood sexual abuse, are victims of intimate partner violence, and are victims of sex trafficking. As such, they urgently need intense, sustained holistic services including shelter, counseling, legal assistance, and economic support. The acute level of trauma that these women have suffered means that they are likely to need mental health services that specifically address post-traumatic stress disorder. Since many have turned to alcohol or drugs to dull their psychic pain, they often need substance abuse programs tailored to the needs of victims of gender violence. And because many have become dependent on the sex industry for economic survival, educational and job readiness assistance is paramount. Indeed, at Sanctuary for Families we believe that the holistic approach that helps classic victims of domestic violence leave abusive relationships is precisely what can help victims of sex trafficking to leave their pimps and the sex industry.

Second, we as a society, and especially those within the legal and social services communities, must begin thinking and talking about prostitution differently. We must acknowledge that the majority of adult women in prostitution are victim by replacing terminology that portrays these women as criminals and free agents—words like “prostitute” and “sex worker”—with language that makes visible the harm they have endured and continue to be subjected to, like “prostituted women” or “victims of sex trafficking”.

Finally, we need to recognize that arrest and prosecution only further stigmatize and punish women whose exploitation in prostitution reflects their lack of choice. Instead of holding them accountable for the violence that is done to them, it makes far more sense to focus our law enforcement resources on those in the sex industry who make the meaningful choices—the patrons and the pimps. New York State has strong anti-trafficking laws which, if properly enforced, can do precisely this. Unfortunately, a recent legislative development does just the opposite. Just last week, the New York State legislature passed a new law that raises the penalty for prostitution in the vicinity of schools while completely ignoring the primary role—and culpability—of the men who patronize. This law reflects the old victim-blaming approach that many of us are working to end. I urge City Council to send a resolution to Governor Cuomo urging him not to sign this bill.

Bronx Community Solutions Represented at Bronx Probation Symposium

2011-06-22T16:17:00.002-04:00

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

On June 15, DoP and the Bronx Borough President hosted “Small Steps, BIG CHANGES,” a symposium on Adult and Juvenile probation services. Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined DoP Deputy Commissioners Ana Bermudez and Clinton Lacey in welcoming an audience of DoP staff, service providers and probation clients to the event. Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson and Bronx Administrative Judge Efrain Alvarado also spoke. A panel of DoP Branch Chiefs , Supervisors, Probation Officers, and Probation Officer Trainees from our Adult and Juvenile offices briefly explained the work they do and the services they offer before taking questions from the audience. Representatives from service providers such as Bronx Community Solutions, Children’s Aid Society, FEDCAP and Mustard Seed set up tables and provided information to the probation clients. The event was organized by Assistant Commissioner Sharun Goodwin. Click here to view photos of the event.

Reentry Initative Featured on Bronx Net

2011-06-22T12:54:00.001-04:00

On June 9, 2001 myself and the co-chair for the Bronx Reentry Working Group, Dr. Pamela Valera from Albert Einstein College of Medicine were interviewed on the show Perspectives on BronxNet. Click here to view the show.

Newark Community Solutions Opens its Doors

2011-06-17T12:16:00.000-04:00

Last night, my Director and I attended the opening ceremony for Newark Community Solutions, the sister project of Bronx Community Solutions. Newark Community Solutions is using the same community justice model to address low-level offending in the Newark Criminal Court. We were proud to be at the opening of Newark Community Solutions, and were inspired by the moving speech by Mayor Corey Booker. The event rejuvenated us to do our work here at BCS. Below, find the notice from BJA Justice Today about Newark Community Solutions.

Newark, NJ Launches Community Justice Initiative

On June 16, 2011, the City of Newark, New Jersey launched an ambitious community justice initiative to combat crime and improve public confidence in justice, the first of its kind in the state.
Mayor Cory A. Booker; Municipal Council President Donald M. Payne, Jr.; Business Administrator Julien X. Neals, Esq.; Municipal Court Chief Judge Richard E.A. Nunes; Bureau of Justice Assistance Senior Policy Advisor Kim Ball; Essex County Superior Court Assignment Judge Patricia K. Costello; Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray; the Center for Court Innovation; Newark Municipal Court Judges; and other dignitaries held an opening ceremony to launch Newark Community Solutions, a court-based community justice initiative that brings the justice system and the community together in order to improve public safety and restore public trust in the justice system.
Newark Community Solutions gives Newark's judges the ability to sentence low-level offenders to a combination of punishment and help—with restorative, visible community service performed in Newark's wards and with social services that focus on offenders' underlying problems, such as substance abuse, mental illness, or unemployment. At the same time, Newark Community Solutions seeks ways of engaging Newarkers in "doing justice"—by giving residents input in program priorities and forming a community advisory board to identify disorder hotspots for offenders to clean as part of their community service sentences.
Newark Community Solutions was planned and is operated by a remarkably broad public-private partnership that includes the City of Newark, the Newark Municipal Council, the New Jersey Administrative Office of Courts, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the non-profit Center for Court Innovation. Other key partners include the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Newark's Center for Collaborative Change, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, the Nicholson Foundation, and the Office of the Newark Public Defender.
Excerpted from the City of Newark's press release.

Bronx Community Solutions Reentry Partnership Featured in Daily News

2011-06-14T17:01:00.000-04:00

Ex-cons find help re-entering society with new Bronx community program

BY CORINNE LESTCH
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Tuesday, June 14th 2011, 4:00 AM

Richard Harbus for News

Ramon Semorile, an ex-convict, is acclimating back into society with the help of Mandy Restivo, a task force social worker from the Bronx Re-Entry Working group.

After being hauled off to jail for the 26th time, capping a criminal career spanning 16 years, Ramon Semorile looked back on his life and saw nothing.

"I couldn't continue doing the same thing over and over, because I would end up in jail all my life or I was gonna get killed," said Semorile, 51. "That's when I decided to change my life."

Semorile's recidivism is a pattern seen in thousands of men across New York City, especially in the Bronx, so Bronx Community Solutions and other groups have formed the Bronx Re-entry Working Group.

The immediate goal of the fledgling group is to give the estimated 128,000 former prisoners living in the borough a forum to discuss future plans and find organizations that can help them transition back into society.

The reentry group will meet tonight at Bronx Recovery Center at 509 Willis Ave.

"Manhattan has a very strong task force looking at reentry issues, but there is no coordinated group in the Bronx looking at these issues," said Mandolin Restivo, deputy project director for Bronx Community Solutions. "Aside from just the sheer numbers of people coming home [from prison], the Bronx has high levels of poverty and low levels of health, so all these issues converge to create a lot of problems."

Semorile got caught up in the wrong crowd in his teens and helped fuel the drug trade that gripped the city during the 1970s and '80s.

"It was chaotic. There was a lot of abandoned buildings, gang members, hard drugs. You would get robbed by your own neighbor," said the Dominican Republic native, who lived in Soundview. "Children were growing up by themselves."

Restivo and other members of the reentry group want to help paroled prisoners from reverting to their old ways.

"The major goal is to provide an information-sharing exchange," said Pamela Valera, an assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who is researching health behaviors of ex-cons in the Bronx for a major survey next fall.

Valera and Restivo added they also want to develop a reentry court similar to that in Harlem, which provides housing case managers and job-training programs.

Semorile said the road he took may have been different had there been a similar group at the time. He received job training at a transitional facility and he has been a crew supervisor at Bronx Community Solutions for five years, guiding petty criminals coming out of arraignment.

"I tell them, 'It doesn't matter how many times you got arrested, it's what you do after the arrest,'" he said. "I always try to grab that one that really wants to change their life."

Tonight's meeting is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Pizza will be served. For more information, call (718) 618-2495.

STARS Success Story: Advocating for Employment Opportunities

2011-06-13T14:34:00.000-04:00

"Trina" first came to the Bronx Community Solutions office last August, just ten days after her 20^th birthday. Even at that young age, she was one of the most challenging clients for the STARS Advocate/Counselor: She had initially been mandated to complete ten sessions, and was then re-arrested within a month of starting the mandate, which increased her court obligation by another 10 days. Reticent? Yes, at first. Then Trina began to open up and tell the Advocate/Counselor the most intimate details of her life which was full of traumatic events, including childhood sexual abuse, being an adolescent run-away, being placed in a residential youth center.and then ending up with an older man who became her boyfriend and, later, her pimp. Leaving her presently with no high school education, no family to turn to, and no way to support herself.

During our time together, Trina began the emotional work that helped her begin to heal from a lifetime of trauma and the practical work that helped her gain admittance and complete a home health aide training course. Trina's future suddenly seemed brighter. She now had a training certificate under her belt that would allow her to pursue legitimate employment. However, a huge step backwards came in the form of a letter from the Department of Health (DOH) stating that she would not be eligible to work as a home health aide due to her criminal history of prostitution. With the help of Sanctuary for Families' Legal Center and Bronx Community Solutions, Trina and the Advocate/Counselor pulled together a response to the DOH and won a huge victory when they reversed their decision and reinstated her eligibility to work.

Although finished with her court mandate, Trina continues to come in to see the Advocate/Counselor on a regular basis for counseling and for help thinking through the world of opportunities she now sees laid out before her.

CCI Launches a New Youth Anti-Violence Initiative

2011-05-26T16:29:00.000-04:00

(Youth Organizing to Save Our Streets) YO S.O.S, a new program of the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center and younger sibling to Save Our Streets (S.O.S.), is proud to announce its official launch, celebrated at a Founding Action Event on Friday May 20th. The event introduced the YO S.O.S. youth organizers to the community and celebrated their accomplishments. In just one short month, YO S.O.S. participants have attended an anti-violence march, traveled to Washington D.C. for an anti-gun violence lobbying day, and created a PSA at the Manhattan Neighborhood Network - all on top of their biweekly workshops on leadership, community development and job training.

Deservingly, these young people were celebrated by an array of community members, including two wonderful guest speakers: Tanisha Douglas, CCI's own recent intern at Quest, and Wayne McKenzie, General Counsel to the NYC Department of Probation.

More info about the program is available at yosos.org, on Facebook, and on Twitter (yo_sos). Hope to see you

New York Times Article Explores Impact of Budget Cuts on Court System

2011-05-19T13:22:00.000-04:00

NY. / REGION

Cuts Could Stall Sluggish Courts at Every Turn

By WILLIAM GLABERSON

Published: May 15, 2011

Weekend arraignment courts will be reduced, presenting the possibility that prisoners will not see a judge within 24 hours, as required by law.

Second ACT Mural Project (Bronx Week Event)

2011-05-18T12:19:00.006-04:00

In celebration of Bronx Week, Bronx Community Solutions, in collaboration with TAT'S CRU INC, the New York City Police Department's Forty- Fourth Precinct, Forty- Sixth Precinct, Community Board Four, and Community Board 5 hosted our Second Project A.C.T. (Artist Coming Together).

Project A.C.T. is our newest anti-graffiti initiative. This year's mural theme is "culture and community". This Bronx Week created community beatification in area that lacks municipal agency attention. BCS and the artists are committed to maintaining the murals in these areas as a way to help promote businesses that thrive in the South Bronx, and neighborhoods that want to change the area's appearance by deterring.

The mural is a back drop to an ever changing area in the south west part of the Bronx. Sidney Flores, a community resident and partner to project ACT has taken this area of Morris Avenue as one of his major community transformation projects. He has not only worked on this Mural project but also helped to create the park that is adjacent to the Mural. Mr. Flores has lobbied for a traffic light on that intersection, added additional garbage cans on two of the four corners of that street and continuously patrols the neighborhood to ensure the area is safe.

Saturday's event was a success to all that showed up and participated; this was one of the only BCS events that occurred completely with community volunteers (no mandated clients). Our volunteers ranged from neighborhood junior high school students, Justice Corps members, the neighborhood bodega owner and Sidney Flores. They all spent the day painting, cleaning and enjoying the weather. Sidney talked with the students about "community responsibility" and "being the change you want to see"

Special thanks to the facilitators of the event, Moises, Ramon, Matthew, Omar, David and Michael the super crew supervisors! Not only did they identify the space for the Mural, they also collaborated with all municipal partners to insure garbage pick-up and painting occurred.

Written by: TK Singelton,
Community Initiatives Coordinator

Law Day Reflections from an AmeriCorps Member

2011-05-17T13:01:00.001-04:00

By, Michael Patterson

On Law Day (April, 29^th) three attorneys from Bronx Defenders, Judge Hecht, and myself sat with a group of students from the school of Law Government & Justice high school to examine the role of defense attorneys in the criminal justice system. The students asked a few questions and each of the panelists would answer each question the students asked. It was a learning experience for them and for me as well because i received answers to some of the questions I always wanted to ask. Three Questions that caught my attention were: 1. What made the panelists want to become a defense attorney? 2. Why should an attorney defend a guilty client? 3. What makes me (Michael) want to become a defense attorney?

What made the panelist want to become what they are today? I always felt like this was a very competitive field to study with a lot of difficulties so I found that question very interesting and I always wondered how an attorney or judge would answer that question. One of the attorneys answered that question by saying he wanted to be the voice for those who couldn’t afford a private lawyer. I agreed with him because that would be the reason why I would want to become a public defense attorney. I live in similar neighborhoods that these defendants come from so I know how it is to not be able to afford a lawyer and I know how it is to be accused of something that you did not do. For example, “Trespassing”. A lot of people don’t know or even think about trespassing when they are at their destination. So for the police to approach them off guard can be a little aggravating. Although it is the law, I feel if the person can prove that their going to a friend’s house or they do have a reason for being at that location then the arrest should not be made.

When I asked the panelists “Why should an attorney defend a client if he/she is guilty?” I thought they wouldn’t know how to answer it. I thought that was a brilliant question because that is a question I always asked myself but never had an answer until that day. Sean Riley, of the Bronx Defenders said that everyone deserves a second chance and as an attorney it’s his duty to defend his client as much as possible. The students didn’t seem to agree by the looks on their faces. I agree but I wonder how the attorney feels when the accused was proven innocent with them knowing that their client was really guilty. Tricky question.

When one of the students asked me “What makes me want to become an attorney?” it sort of caught me off guard because I wasn’t expecting to answer any questions. I would like to be an attorney because I’ve been on both sides of the fence which gives me the ability to understand my clients more. I’m young and I’ve had police interaction before. Also from what I see and hear, the majority of the people getting arrested for low level crimes are age 17 through 25. I see a problem in that and I wouldn’t mind being the voice for the accused. Sean Riley of the Bronx Defenders said if the youth see the police the first thing they think is harassment and when the police see the youth the first thing they think is trouble. I agree with that statement and I feel there has to be a way to change that perception.

Having the opportunity to sit with the students from L.G.J. and the 4 panelists was a great experience. It was also an honor. I never actually got to sit beside judges and defense attorneys before. I hope to do something like this again.

BCS and Albert Einstein College of Medicine Organizes Reentry Forum

2011-05-05T17:34:00.000-04:00

The Bronx Reentry Working Group, a collaboration between Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Bronx Community Solutions, is hosting a Reentry Forum and Resource Fair, I'm Home ... What Next on Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM at the School of Law, Government, and Justice, 244 East 163rd Street Bronx, NY (behind the Supreme Court building).

The day will include a Resource Fair with over twenty Bronx-based organizations; a keynote address by Camella Pinkney-Price, Deputy Chief of Staff for Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr; a moderated panel discussion on strategies for success coming home after incarceration (featuring CCI's own Ramon Semorile and Cramon Milline); break out sessions on health, financial literacy, and knowing your rights; and community organizing sessions informing participants about local advocacy campaigns.

The full program is below. Lunch will be provided.

I’m Home … What NExt?

Schedule

9:00 Resource Fair

The Resource Fair will be available in the gym from 9:00 AM – 3:15 PM

9:30 Welcoming Remarks

Pamela Amie Valera, PhD, MSW, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Division of Community Collaboration and Implementation Science, Bronx Reentry Working Group Co-Chair

Mandy Restivo, MA, Bronx Community Solutions Deputy Project Director, Bronx Reentry Working Group Co-chair

9:45 Keynote Address: What Next?

Camella Pinkney-Price

Deputy Chief of Staff to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr.

10:15 Panel: Coming Home: Strategies for Success

Moderator: Mario Rodriguez, Outreach Specialist, Bronx Community Recovery Center

Panel Participants:

Theresa Harari, Director of Operations and Business Development, CMO Network
Cramon Milline, Case Manager Aide, Harlem Community Justice Center

Damon Moore, Director of Programs and Community Outreach, CMO Network

Ramon Semorile, Crew Supervisor, Bronx Community Solutions

11:30 Break Out Session One

Know Your Rights: Encounters with the Police, Kate Rubin and Colleagues….. Room 147

Financial Literacy, Damon Moore and Theresa Harari….……………………..... Room 149

Women’s Health 101, Dr. Rachelle Darout…………………………………….... Room 151

12:45 Lunch in Break Out Rooms

Hot food items donated by the Habana Room, www.habanaroomnny.com.

1:15 Break Out Session Two

Creating Healthy Support Systems, Mario Rodriguez……………………….…... Room 147

Healthy Eating on a Budget, Dr. Rachelle Darout………………………............. Room 149

Certificates of Relief from Disability and Good Conduct:

What They Are and How to Get Them, Kate Rubin and Camella Pinkney-Price.... Room 150

How Does Going to Prison Affect your Health? Dr. Matt Anderson…………..... Room 151

2:30 Community Organizing Forums

Women in Prison Project………………………………………………………...... Room 147

The Bronx Reentry Working Group……………………………………………..... Room 149

Stop and Frisk…………………………………………………………………....... Room 150

3:30 Closing Remarks

Liz Schoen, Esq., Director of Legal Programs, CMO Network

Chris McLaughlin, Research Assistant, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

An Update from New York City Community Clean Up

2011-05-04T12:11:00.003-04:00

*Community service crews supervised by NYC Community Cleanup, in partnership with MTA New York City Transit, will begin conducting cleanup activities at highly trafficked subway stations in Jamaica and Long Island City (Queens); Brownsville (Brooklyn); Harlem (Manhattan); and the Bronx (in partnership with Bronx Community Solutions). Station cleaning efforts began on April 20, in Jamaica and April 27 in Harlem with additional stations to come.

*Cleanup worked in partnership with the Manhattan District Attorney's office to address visible quality of life issues in the location of a recent major gang prosecution. In the area around 137th Street and Adam Clayton Boulevard, Cleanup teams painted over several graffiti tags and picked up trash to improve the appearance of the block.

*Cleanup assisted the DOT Urban Art Program with priming at three separate locations in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, in preparation for the installation of murals on concrete jersey barriers next to the roadway.

*Cleanup teams painted over several large graffiti sites in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

*Cleanup has been working in partnership with the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation to address dumping at a long-standing eyesore property.

*Participants in our specialized youth diversion service learning program continued working on a mural they're painting inside our office with the help of a volunteer artist. In addition, working together with respondents and participants from the Greenpoint Youth Court, they helped Rev. John Merz clean his church in preparation for Easter services and helped staff at East River State Park to spread mulch around trees and move cobblestones to prevent waterfront erosion.

*As always, Cleanup teams provided extra help along particular Department of Sanitation routes, removing hundreds of extra bags of garbage. In Long Island City, Cleanup, responding to requests from residents, to help support the installation of additional neighborhood "adopt-a-cans."

For more information about NYC Community Clean UP visit the website: http://www.cleanupnyc.org/

BCS Facilitates New York City Housing Authority Community Talks

2011-05-02T10:50:00.001-04:00

By TK Singleton, Community Initiatives Coordinator

“No officer should ever curse at you and I am sorry, for that” was a response from an officer that was asked about the proper protocol when speaking to youth -- This comment broke the invisible wall in the room for the one of the NYCHA community talks.

Bronx Community Solutions hosted the tail end of a NYPD city-wide initiative to create open dialogues with officers and the community. We hosted the PSA 7 and PSA 8 community talks.

The First community dialog took place in the Monroe Housing complex, located in the Soundview area of the Bronx (the same neighborhood of the Amadou Diallo shooting). The fifteen community representatives were specially invited (ages varied from 19-54) by the tenant association. Despite the familiarity with NYPD; the relationship between the tenant association’s members and the average patrol officer is estranged. This dynamic led to some interesting conversations.

The main topics of discussion were: vertical patrol, trespassing violations and the "writing of names" in the officer’s scrap book. An officer wanted to emphasize that he was passionate about the work he does in the community that he has patrolled for over 10 years- "I care! I care about this job, this neighborhood and the safety of the residents-It might not look like it, but I do." One of the youth replied "If you take the extra 10 seconds to explain why I'm being stopped, then that will show me you care”

The second talk had over 60 people, mostly youth between 13-22 years of age. The youth had all had prior contact with NYPD and their experiences were varied from positive to negative. At times, keeping the conversation productive was challenging: . Overall, I was pleased with the openness of both the officers and the residents.

The main questions of the night were about “trespass” and “stop & frisk.” I commend each young person who spoke; they were both respectful and passionate when they spoke about their experiences or when they asked questions.

The discussion took over two hours to finish- both the officers and the youth left with smiles

Midtown Court Helps Ex-Criminals Become Better Dads - DNAinfo.com

2011-04-11T12:23:00.000-04:00

The below link describes the success of Midtown Community Court's (our sister project) Times Square Inc. program.

Midtown Court Helps Ex-Criminals Become Better Dads - DNAinfo.com

MIDTOWN — After spending 13 years in prison, Joseph DeJesus is trying to turn his life around. But with no reliable source of income and seven children, it’s been a challenge.

"The transition from prison out into society is hard," said DeJesus, 37, who has now been searching for work for over a year and a half. "Sometimes I get frustrated," he said. "It’s very, very tough."

But in the last few months things have started to turn around. At family court in the Bronx, in trouble for missed child support payments, DeJesus was referred to the Midtown Community Court at 314 W. 54th St., a project of the Center for Court Innovation.

JSLP Exposes Youth to the Discipline of Martial Arts

2011-03-28T09:48:00.002-04:00

By Saudi Encarnacion, Clinical Coordinator

On Saturday, March 12, 2011 the Juvenile Service Learning Program youth were ready to begin their community service day. The Juvenile Service Learning Program is a Family Court/Alternative to Placement program for youth on probation who are mandated to complete 60 hours of community service. The purpose of this program is to incorporate service learning into traditional community service, encouraging youth to meaningfully reflect on, and grow from, the experience.

As the group was preparing for community service, one young man asked, “what we gonna do today? Hearing that we were going to be guests at the Martial Arts Center the responses were a mix of indifference, apprehension, excitement and curiosity.

Upon arriving to the Martial Arts Center, the group received VIP treatment from Master J. Sanchez who readily gave us his undivided attention. The group participated in introductory martial arts activities including cardio exercise, boxing, kick boxing, Judo and Tae Kwon Do. Master Sanchez followed the fitness activities with a discourse on the significance of Martial Arts as a holistic practice that emphasizes mind/body connection health. He expressed that the purpose of Martial Arts is to acquire confidence, discipline, patience and perseverance. Most importantly, he emphasized that the core of Martial Arts is to actually refrain from physical aggression, as that indicates that the individual has gained the upmost restraint and power. Through out the morning, youth were respectfully engaged in the fitness activities and offered constructive and insightful comments on Master Sanchez’s talk.

As our fitness session ended, there was not a doubt in my mind that all the participants greatly enjoy the mornings’ activities. The smiles and vigor among all the participants and the enthusiastic comments expressing the desire to visit the Martial Arts Center once again was confirmation of the benefits of working on the mind and body.

The Bronx Borough President's Office Celebrates Women's History Month

2011-03-21T12:59:00.002-04:00

By Melissa Novock, STARS Case Manager

On Wednesday, March 16, 2001 Saudi Encarnacion, Clinical Coordinator and myself, Melissa M. Novock , Case Manager for STARS, attended a spirit filled Breakfast Forum entitled "Our History Is Our Strength" to celebrate Women's History Month. The forum was presented by Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz Jr. and First Lady, Hilda Diaz. Ms. Aurelia Greene, Deputy Borough President, led the forum as mistress of ceremonies.

The event commemorated the work of three honorees, women driven by passion to make a difference in the lives of Bronx residents and ultimately contribute to the success of the Bronx. Ms. Hilda Diaz kicked off the event in sharing her personal story of success. Success for her included, dedication to her family and remaining persistent and vigilant in obtaining her career goals.

The honorees were, Aramina Vega Ferrer, Ph.D., Honorable Laura G. Douglas, Administrative Justice, Civil Division Bronx Supreme Court and Majora Carter, founder of the Sustainable South Bronx.

Each honoree's story was an example of strength, courage and working hard to make a difference in one's community. Whether it is the education system, the legal system or the community, one thing is for sure, with the talents and wisdom of the honorees, along with all of the other inspirational women at the forum, the Bronx will continue to be upheld and grow via their strength and commitment.

We, at Bronx Community Solutions, hope to inspire our female clients in a similar way, by empowering clients to create goals, and inspiring them to achieve those goals one step at a time. The method is to create an understanding that every healthy action or choice can allow them to connect to their goals.

New Video Released by the Center for Court Innovation

2011-03-21T12:34:00.000-04:00

The Center for Court Innovation has just released Testing New Ideas: Evidence, Innovation and Community Courts, a short film about community justice that we recently produced in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance at the U.S. Department of Justice.

The video tells the story of community courts, from the first such project in Midtown Manhattan to more recent adaptations of the model in Dallas, San Francisco, and other cities across the country. The film, which includes interviews with New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Portland District Attorney Michael Schrunk, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr., and others, is designed to introduce new audiences to the core elements of the community court model and how it might be used to address low-level crime and bolster public trust in justice.

Two Youth Perspectives on the State of the Borough

2011-03-11T16:33:00.003-05:00

On February 24, 2011 Bronx Community Solutions attended the State of the Borough Address.

Here are the perspectives of two Youth Justice Corps Members, Michael Patterson and Sean Myers.

Michael Patterson

My name is Michael Patterson. I am 21 and I am currently a resident in the Bronx. I see poverty, gang activities and drug abuse every day. Sometimes it makes me ashamed to say that In am from this Borough. But I want to thank the Borough President, Ruben Diaz Jr. for changing my own perception of the Bronx.

It was an honor to be in the audience listening to the Borough President’s brilliant ideas to rebuild the cracks and pieces in the Bronx. I agree with a lot of the things he stated. Two key ideas that sparked my interest was the repairing of the Kingsbridge Armory and decreasing gang and gun activity.

I think turning that Kingsbridge Armory into a Center will be a great idea. It’s the right destination to place it and it will also create more job opportunities for the unemployed. I pass Kingsbridge everyday and every time I see the Armory building I say to myself "That place should be a mall". But hearing the Borough President ideas and his reasons why he wouldn’t make it into a mall really enlightened me. Putting a mall there will increase the unemployment rate in the city because if a mall was placed there then Fordham road is in HOT WATER which is only one stop away from the Armory. The only thing that I question about this idea is, where will everyone park if that building becomes a Center?

I also agree with the statement "gang violence will not be tolerated". I would like to know more about how the Borough President is planning on tackling this issue. Gun violence is spreading like a disease. I feel like this is an issue that will take a lot of time before being solved. Gangs are increasing in members and more drugs are being sold. I don’t know how complicated it is to solve this problem but I know it isn’t easy.

I was very glad that I attended this assembly. I’ve learned a lot of things about my Borough, from the bad to the good. I thank Ruben Diaz Jr. for his work and dedication. I also thank him for everything he has done and brought to the Bronx. Before I attended this assembly I never was so quick to say that I am from the Bronx. But people like Ruben Diaz Jr make people like me proud to say that I am from the BX.

Sean Glenn Myers

The staff of Bronx Community Solutions was invited to the State of the Borough Address by Ruben Diaz, The Bronx Borough President. I had a wonderful experience hearing the motivational speech and being able to see the pioneers of the Bronx. The Bronx Borough President is committed to change so that one day the Bronx will be a better place. I wasn't to fond of the video that was developed as a response to American Idol's slander, but I see their hearts are in the right place . But for future reference: if you want to break the stereotype of the Bronx, you have to look at the Bronx in a different light. So no rap anthems!!!

The Borough President touched on a lot of subjects, like the public and private housing problem with tenants and landlords, the educational problems of over filled classes, underachievement on regional and national exams, and the constant gun violence in the Bronx. Throughout the presentations one subject really caught my attention. It was the state funding of green development This project is an environmental community-wide and regional approach which integrates the following elements: environmental responsiveness,; resource efficiency, and community building.

The Program was described in a way that sounds like it will be an effective method to change of the health and pollution in the Bronx. The question is, will it be affordable for Bronx's residents? Green Development quoted ''Many developers fear that following a green agenda will delay project schedules and raise costs. The reality, however, is that well-executed green development projects…perform extremely well financially. In fact, even though many of the leading-edge developers … have strong environmental backgrounds and ideals, the financial rewards of green development are now bringing mainstream developers into the fold at an increasing pace. It is possible --indeed it is the norm--to do well financially by doing the right thing environmentally. For example, project costs can be reduced, buyers or renters will spend less to operate green buildings, and developers can differentiate themselves from the crowd--getting a big marketing boost.”

It is my experience however, that improved real estate comes at a price, which brings up the next question: will the people of the Bronx be able to afford living in new green developments? For example, the development on Fox Avenue has rents ranging up to $3,000 for a 2 bedroom. Which low income family will be able to afford it, and which voucher or program would you need to be eligible? I'm very excited that The Bronx is revolutionizing to become eco-friendly but at what cost ?

Community Collaboration Addresses Hot Spot

2011-03-03T15:50:00.002-05:00

By TK Singleton

When residents and officers of the West Farms Area were faced with the recurring issue of prostitution, the community worked with the 48th Precinct to address the issue through the criminal justice system, including working with Bronx Community Solution's alternatives to prostitution program that screes women engaged in prostitution for histories of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Recently, the was a New York Times article about this area. It brought to light how prostitution affected the community at large (both parents and children). The article spoke about a particular area that was occupied by the women and had an absentee landlord. This space was directly accross the street from a school.

Within days of this article, many organizations came together and worked on how we could address this issue in an aggressive and innovative way. The Mayor’s Office Community Affairs Unit and The Forty-Eight Precinct called a meeting with Bronx Community Solutions, Sanitation, Environmental Protection Agency and DCAS. In this meeting we worked on both long term and short term strategies to address this issue.

Together we all worked on cleaning and fencing the area. Enclosing that area means there is no place for business! The fence has been up for a little over two months now, at the last Precinct Council meeting no one spoke about prostitution. Prior to this initiative, prostitution would be the first thing the community would mention, now it seems a distant memory.

Bronx Community Solutions Creates Resource Manual for Spanish Speaking Clients

2011-02-24T10:03:00.000-05:00

By Anjelica Raygoza, Mental Health Case Manager

Soon after my arrival to Bronx Community Solutions I participated in conversations with other staff members regarding the particular needs of the Spanish-speaking clients that we service. In particular, Moises Reyes and Ramon Semorile, Coordinator of Community Service and Crew Supervisor, respectively, were consistently gathering information from clients about the services that are of predominant importance to them. The dialogues that took place between clients and staff during the intake process, in the field during community service and in Spanish-language social service classes were the spring board for the creation of the Spanish-language resource directory.

The idea was to produce a directory for in-house use that was meticulously tailored to the needs of our Spanish-speaking and indigent population. That is, the attempt was to intentionally divert from developing a “one-size fits all” directory. Most importantly, it was written in the Spanish-language to facilitate the clients’ access to it. It was created to include services that accommodated for economic status, language barriers, immigration status, demographic locations and other pertinent factors that increase the probability that clients will seek out the services that support a higher quality of life.

Titled Recursos Para Personas Que Hablan Español, Documentados y Indocumentados (Resources for Spanish-Speaking Individuals, Documented and Undocumented), the directory includes services in the domains of medical care, mental health services, drug treatment, legal help with immigration, job training/education classes, amongst others; details of the service agency such as location and payment options are included. Additionally, it includes detailed information regarding their rights to public/community services, accessing their criminal record and sealing cases. This was added in an effort to empower clients to take more control of factors that affect their daily lives by providing them with information that is often obscure and incorrect when received “in the streets.”

While it may take more than a Spanish-language resource directory to encourage clients to access services, a parsimoniously written manual, free of fluff and complicating details, is a concrete tool that clients can have in their path to creating lives that are healthy and fruitful.

Crew Supervisor Inspires Clients In New Role

2011-02-16T16:01:00.000-05:00

"I am a facilitator, not a teacher, so we are going to have a conversation and share our experiences." Those are the words of Matthew Usher, Crew Supervisor as he opens the Bronx Community Solutions Decision Making class.

Matt began as a "facilitor" for one of our social service classes in December, and has flourished in this new role. The Decision Making class is designed to assist individuals in making more rational and wise decisions by encouraging clients to take personal responsibility for their actions. The goal is for participants to learn to recognize the choices they have when making decisions. Through this process, with the aid of healthy decision-making skills and a clearer understanding of the consequences of their actions, participants learn to plan for their future.

Through a combination of humor, story telling, inspirational quotes, fact checking, and a focus on the future, he engages 15 -25 clients per week. At the end of a session, clients thanked him for asking good questions and helping them to think about things they have avoided thinking about.

Matthew has been an employee with the Center for Court Innovation for four years, working in Queens at a community clean-up site and at Bronx Community Solutions. Matthew brings to each experience a love of people, and an appreciation for different viewpoints. Matthew also states that "I learn as much from the students in the class as they learn from me"

Community Service at World Vision: Helping Change the Lives of Children and The Adults who Serve Them

2011-02-08T14:44:00.004-05:00

“I don’t want to be here.” “Fifteen days in jail would have been better” These were the words of some of the seven Bronx Community Solutions community service “crew” members when they reported to World Vision to fulfill their community service mandate.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

During the orientation, World Vision explained their mission, and the work they are doing for children as close to home as this Bronx neighborhood, and as far across the world as Africa.

After the orientation, the community service crew members assembled 66 boxes for Bronx children to give to their mom’s for Mother’s Day. The boxes included shampoo, soap and other beauty items.

At the end of the day, the comments from the crew changed. Instead of being disgruntled or resentful they stated: “I did something good here today.”

Response to American Idol's Bronx Slander

2011-01-24T14:35:00.000-05:00

The below Statement is from the Bronx Borough President about comments made on American Idol about the Bronx on January 19, 2011

“I am thoroughly disgusted with the treatment of the Bronx on American Idol. Rather than focus on the amazing revitalization the Bronx has seen over the past three decades, the producers of the show chose instead to highlight the negative stereotypes that have plagued our borough for years. The Bronx is the proud home of 1.4 million people, and over the past 30 years we have seen a dramatic drop in crime, incredible new business activity and the development of amazing new infrastructure. The portrayal of the Bronx by the producers of American Idol in such an extremely negative light is not only shameful, it does not accurately represent how far the Bronx has come.
For those who want to learn the truth about the vibrant neighborhoods, world-class cuisine, burgeoning economy and amazing amenities the Bronx has to offer, I invite them to visit the official website of the Bronx Tourism Council, www.ilovethebronx.com.”

Community Advisory Board Convenes in the New Year

2011-01-20T17:31:00.002-05:00

By T.K. Singleton, Community Initiatives Coordinator

Accessibility to the community is the key principle for us at Bronx Community Solutions. As Bronx Community Solutions expands, one of our main concerns has been – “Do we meet the needs of the community?”

The challenge for us is community engagement in a Borough with upwards of 1.5 millions residents and twelve precincts. How can we respond to the community needs when each neighborhood is diverse and unique? One of the many tools for us to reach “the community” is our Community Advisory Board(C.A.B.). Bronx Community Solutions’ Community Advisory Board meets quarterly and has members from an array of places in the Bronx including municipal government representatives, precinct council presidents, Judges, social service organizations, and non-profit organizations.

After five years, Bronx Community Solutions' C.A.B. members are still very vocal and continue to partner with us to create meaningful sentencing options and community service projects. What is also amazing, is that C.A.B. members are assisting each other in creating projects. “I would like a Bronx Community Solutions C.A.B. directory” said Seann Riley from the Bronx Defenders.

Through the many resources and talents that each person and organization brings we are able to make real change, in a “otherwise slowly turn wheel”-Wayne Clark from Narco Freedom

Chicago Prostitution Court Aims To Get Women Out Of The Trade

2011-01-19T11:04:00.000-05:00

Cook County court officials hope a new pilot program will help some longtime prostitutes get the help they need to get off the streets and stay off, says the Chicago Tribune. Women will be offered treatment and counseling as part of an intensive months-long effort, much as courts have done for drug addicts, the mentally ill, and military veterans who have committed crimes. The once-a-week courtroom opens Friday to 25 women who have a long history of arrests and are currently charged with felony prostitution.

"She has to want to change her life," Associate Judge Rosemary Grant Higgins, who will be heading the court, said of the women. Those who opt to take part will plead guilty to the felony charge, be sentenced to 2 years of probation, and sign a contract promising to complete whatever treatment and social services experts believe are needed to end their ties to prostitution. The women will be jailed for at least 90 days while they are evaluated for drug, alcohol or other problems and given a chance to stabilize from substance abuse or emotional trauma. Depending on the extent of the problems, the women might go to inpatient facilities outside of jail for more intensive treatment or be placed in subsidized housing "to get away from the trade," Higgins said. The women can also receive assistance with education, job counseling, health care needs, child custody, and other issues.
Chicago Tribune

New Year Resolutions from the Bronx

2011-01-03T15:59:00.003-05:00

Whether it's saving for a new car or going to the gym more often, now that we're toe-deep into 2011, it's time for Bronxites to start thinking about their wishes and resolutions for the new year.
Herewith, a sampling from some prominent and regular Bronxites:
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Resolution: "To fight with every fiber of my being to have a living-wage bill in front of City Council in the new year."
Wish: "I would like to have a new four- or five-star hotel in the Bronx!"
City Councilman James Vacca (D-East Bronx)
Resolution: "To spend more time with my family. With my BlackBerry and Facebook, people can reach me 2-4/7. And NOT to be tweeting in the years ahead!"
Wish: "To get to the bottom of why the city was not prepared for the Dec. 26 blizzard - and make sure it never happens again."
Marlene Cintron, president of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp.
Resolution: "I'm gonna hit Arthur Ave. more for my bread and cheese, Fordham Road for my daughter's Ugg boots and 149th St. for my flowers."
Wish: "At minimum, 3% lower unemployment and a quality four-star conference center hotel."
Assistant Chief Carlos Gomez, NYPD Borough Commander
Resolution: "Other than working hard to make this a safer borough, to meet even more of the good, caring people of the borough."
Wish: "That all the people of the Bronx - and the hard working cops out there - have a safe and productive new year."Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2011/01/02/2011-01-02_resolving_to_make_2011_a_better_year.html#ixzz1A0Zdgbqu

Reentry Working Group Addresses Health Disparities

2010-12-29T14:08:00.001-05:00

Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Bronx Community Solutions have partnered to form a Bronx Reentry Working Group that will address the health and competing needs of those returning to the Bronx from prisons and jails. There are 128,313 former inmates live in the community and as many as 12 per 1,000 residents are newly released each year.

Residents of the Bronx face serious health challenges. The Bronx has the highest unemployment rate in the state, (14.1%) with 31% of residents living below the poverty level. 29,709 residents are living with AIDS. The Bronx is ranked as the unhealthiest county of New York’s 62 counties.

This working group will address the health disparities of released inmates returning to the Bronx; health cuts in the New York State budget for medical and health services; and the move to close Rikers Island and open the South Bronx Jail. Our working group will document the health and competing needs of our reentry population to better understand and serve these individuals. This assessment will inform policy makers and work closely with different stakeholders to develop creative strategies for a healthier Bronx. The Working Group, under the leadership of Dr. Pamela Valera of Albert Einstein College of Medicine was awarded the National Cancer Institute’s K01 Health and Unmet Needs grant.

If you would like to join our Reentry Working Group or have resources that you would like included in the Directory of Reentry Resources for the Bronx, please contact Mandy Restivo, Deputy Project Director of Bronx Community Solutions mrestivo@courts.state.ny.us

Mission Statement
The Bronx Reentry Working Group is a Bronx-based coalition of academic-community partners, corrections, reentry, policy- makers, and residents committed to addressing the social and health disparities of individuals with histories of criminal justice involvement Our objectives include:

1. To improve health outcomes of individuals with histories of criminal justice involvement by providing appropriate service referrals.

2. To increase skills and knowledge of individuals with histories of criminal justice involvement through programming, education and advocacy strategies.

3. To develop a body of literature of what works in helping individuals with histories of criminal justice involvement to successfully transition back into the Bronx.

4. To increase information sharing and exchange, community engagement and to foster relationships within and between coalition members.

Current Projects and Activities
Letter to editor response to Bronx hate crimes (submission date Nov. 15, 2010)
Bronx-based Reentry Symposium Spring 2011
Bronx based Reentry Service Directory/ Webpage (underway/in development)
Bronx Reentry Task Force
Healthy Eating Workshop for Bronx defendants

Research Projects
Health-seeking behavior study for men (ongoing)
Smoking cessation project for women (ongoing)

Part Two of NPR Youth Radio Story

2010-12-10T15:55:00.000-05:00

Arresting Youth In Sex Trafficking Raises Debate

by YOUTH RADIO

Listen to the Story

All Things Considered

[8 min 53 sec]

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December 7, 2010

Part 2 of 2

Oakland, Calif., is known as a center for sex trafficking, with a specialty in children. In 2003, the FBI dubbed the city, part of the San Francisco Bay Area, a "high-intensity child-prostitution area." Police say Oakland youth are often trafficked from their hometown out to other sex hubs like Portland, Ore.; Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Atlanta.

Youth Radio is an independent producer. For more than six months, the organization has been investigating child sex trafficking in Oakland, Calif. In this two-part report, it pieces together what life is like for girls who are forced into prostitution — and how law enforcement continues to criminalize girls the state legally defines as sexually exploited victims.

Law enforcement officials and youth advocates say they're frustrated by California law, which makes it difficult to prosecute pimps and johns and easy to go after the children. Monday, in the first of a two-part Youth Radio report, two survivors of sex trafficking shared their stories. Today, Youth Radio explores what Oakland police and the FBI are doing to combat sex trafficking.

At Oakland police headquarters on a recent afternoon, Lt. Kevin Wiley is briefing a group of FBI agents and police officers who are about to go out on a sweep.

"Remember, priority No. 1 is safety, right? Undercover officers, make sure you're aware of your 360 the entire time. No surprises out there, please."

Until four years ago, Wiley's Vice and Child Exploitation Unit prioritized arresting johns. But those operations and the funding that made them possible have been cut. Instead, the Oakland Police Department now targets the children who've been trafficked, in an effort to get them off the streets — and to get them to give up the names of their pimps.

"We're out there looking for pimps, anyone involved in human trafficking," Wiley says. "If we can pick up some of the girls, that's great. We're targeting children, but we do want to get the big fish, that is, the pimps out there."

'It's Busy Around Here'

Undercover cops in beat-up used cars drive out to East Oakland's International Boulevard, the center of Oakland's red-light district, known as "The Track."

EnlargeBrett Myers/Youth Radio

Oakland police used to put a priority on arresting johns. But with cuts in funding, the police now target the girls who've been trafficked for sex.

A plainclothes officer watches from across the street as a young woman in a short skirt stands on the corner outside an empty storefront. A squad car pulls up. For these sweeps, police use a county probation rule that prohibits girls with previous prostitution arrests from going near International Boulevard. Police say they don't have to see a girl making arrangements to get paid for sex to arrest her.

Two officers from the squad car approach the woman, handcuff her, and drive her to a command center consisting of a police van parked behind a nearby supermarket.

"It's busy around here," Wiley says. "We've only been here 45 minutes, and we already have five girls that we've detained, arrested. One is a juvenile, so they're going to do an interview with her."

The 15-year-old is separated from the adult prostitutes and placed in the back of a police car. She's wearing short shorts and sandals with shiny silver straps crisscrossing up to her mid-calves.

Police question the girl; a victims' advocate contracted by the county stands nearby and will remain in close contact with her throughout the booking process.

youth radio

Read Part 1: Trafficked Teen Girls Describe Life In 'The Game'

The police officer uses the victim's cell phone to call her parents, who live about 200 miles away, in Fresno, Calif. An officer explains that she's under arrest for soliciting prostitution. To release her, police have to put her in the custody of her parents or a legal guardian.

"All right, so what's going to happen now is she's going to go down to the police department in the juvenile hall section," the officer tells her parents. "And more than likely, you're going to have to come get her sometime tonight, OK?"

Police later said the girl's parents never picked her up. She was sent to juvenile hall — and she never divulged the name of her pimp.

By the end of this sweep, police had arrested seven adult women, three girls, one pimp and no johns. It's a small victory. Police estimate 100 minors work as prostitutes on The Track every night.

'The Easiest Person To Arrest Is The Child'

Though they arrest few pimps and prosecute even fewer, Oakland police say that arresting the girls is a necessary first step toward shutting down sex trafficking. But many children's advocates disagree.

Nola Brantley, who was trafficked as a teenager, now runs MISSSEY, a program that helps girls get out of the sex trade.

Every act of what's called ... 'prostitution' with these children is actually a form of child sexual abuse — and to take it further, child rape. So I don't think children who are raped should be criminalized, no I don't.

- Nola Brantley, children's rights advocate

"The reason why we arrest them is because they are the easiest person to arrest," Brantley says. "It's hard to arrest the johns, and they represent many different facets of society and life. It's hard to arrest the exploiters because of the amount of evidence necessary. So, the easiest person to arrest is the child."

Brantley says these children are not really prostitutes.

"Every act of what's called ... 'prostitution' with these children is actually a form of child sexual abuse — and to take it further, child rape," she says. "So I don't think children who are raped should be criminalized, no I don't."

Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Sharmin Bock counters that arresting the girls is actually a way to save them — it gives the county a way to introduce victimized girls to social services. "Having a court involved with a case hanging over your head provides that added incentive to stay in a program, at the end of which a great likelihood exists that you will in fact recognize that you were in fact exploited," she says.

And, Bock says, the logistics of going after the men are daunting.

"It's very hard to get a hold of those johns. Because by the time you hear about it, they're just a number. It's the child telling you, 'I had sex with 15 different men yesterday.' They're long gone."

A Booming Industry Online

And there's another factor making it easier for johns to buy sex and for pimps to make money — the Internet.

EnlargeBrett Myers/Youth Radio

In a recent sting, Oakland police arrested seven adult women, three girls, one pimp and no johns. It's a small victory — police estimate that 100 minors work as prostitutes in Oakland's red-light district every night.

Brittney and Darlene, two teenagers who escaped the sex trade, told Youth Radio they were trafficked on both the Oakland streets and online.

"He had me on Craigslist, Red Book, and there was another one. I think it was like Eros something — Eros Guide or something like that," Brittney says.

Craigslist has removed the "adult services" section that was used for the sex trade, but there are many other sites that fill the void. With help from the Internet, what used to be a local prostitution business is now global.

Marty Parker, who works on human trafficking cases for the FBI's Oakland office, says pimps aren't invisible to law enforcement.

"Even though these guys think they're not leaving any track online, they are. Just a pimp posting an ad for these girls on myredbook.com — that gives us their interstate nexus right there, and we can then bring federal charges against him," Parker says.

But Parker says that doesn't mean they'll be prosecuted anytime soon.

"We could do it every day if we had the manpower to do it," Parker says. "Unfortunately, there are too few people working in the FBI who work these cases."

NPR Youth Radio Uncovers Experiences of Trafficked Teen Girls

2010-12-08T15:09:00.000-05:00

The following two-part story from NPR, published on December 6, 2010 highlights particular issues faced by teens that are trafficked in the US. The challenges these girls face are the same challenges that the women who are part of Bronx Community Solutions alternatives to prostitution program face: sexual violence, intimate partner violence, poverty and lack of education. In fact, they could be the same girls, a few years later being prosecuted as adults.

At Bronx Community Solutions, through a grant from the Office of Domestic Violence, we screen women arrested for prostitution related offenses for current and past histories of sexual and intimate partner violence. We provide in-house conseling services in partnership with Sanctuaries for Families to address the trauma symptoms these women experience. We also work with local nonprofit organizations, such as the Girls Education and Mentoring Services (GEMS) that provide services such as emergency temporary housing.

The sexual exploitation of women is a pervasive problem in the Bronx. We at Bronx Community Solutions are working in partnership with law enforcement and local community organizations to address this issue.

Trafficked Teen Girls Describe Life In 'The Game'

December 6, 2010
Part 1 of 2

Youth Radio is an independent producer. For more than six months, the organization has been investigating child sex trafficking in Oakland, Calif. In this two-part report, it pieces together what life is like for girls who are forced into prostitution — and how law enforcement continues to criminalize girls the state legally defines as sexually exploited victims.
Last month, the FBI announced the results of Operation Cross Country V, a 40-city investigation that led to the rescue of 69 children who were being victimized through prostitution. More than 800 people, including 99 pimps, were arrested.

According to the FBI, more than 100,000 children are sold for sex in the U.S. each year. In a two-part series, Youth Radio takes a look at the problem of child prostitution in the U.S. Today, two young women who recently escaped what's called "the game" share their stories.
"I'd wake up at 5; I'd be outside by 5:30," says Brittney, 19. "I would just wait and see what happened, whether it'd be in the streets or whether I'd be on the Internet. And then I won't be able to come back inside until like 2 o'clock in the morning, so I'd get only, like, three hours of rest."
Brittney, a former sex worker, agreed to share her story under the condition that her real name not be used. She's a native of Oakland, Calif., and only recently out of what's called "the game." Less than a year ago, Brittney was being forced to work as a prostitute on the Internet and on the streets of Oakland.
"I got kidnapped when I was 15," says Brittney. "I decided to cut school one day. I was in Oakland, on Havenscourt and Foothill, and all I heard was, 'Man, go get that girl!' And one of them came out and dragged me by my hair, and he pulled me into the car."

Child Prostitution In The U.S., By The Numbers

100,000-300,000: The number of children sold for sex in the U.S. each year

12-14: The average age at which girls first become victims of prostitution

11-13: The average age at which boys and transgendered youth enter into prostitution

55 percent: The proportion of girls living on the streets in the U.S. engaged in formal prostitution

30 percent: The proportion of youth living in shelters who are sexually exploited
75 percent: The proportion of girls engaged in prostitution who are working for a pimp
One-fifth: The fraction of exploited children who are trafficked nationally

$150,000-$200,000: The amount a pimp can make each year, per child

76 percent: The proportion of transactions for sex with underage girls conducted via the Internet Sources: Justice Department, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Demi & Ashton Foundation

Brittney was the victim of a so-called guerrilla pimp — a person, usually a man, who uses force and fear to traffic women, many of whom are underage. Oakland police estimate that a third of teenage girls working in prostitution were abducted and forced onto the streets the way Brittney was.

She says that after she was kidnapped, at least six men gang-raped her. She was then driven to Sacramento, where her 32-year-old pimp put her out on the street as a prostitute. He took her phone, told her not to talk to anyone but "johns," and had his sister watch her so she wouldn't run. She was shuttled back and forth to work Oakland's red-light district.

A 'Romeo Pimp'

Darlene, whose name has been changed as well, came into "the game" a different way.

She entered her teens around the same time her native Oakland, as part of the San Francisco Bay Area, was named by the FBI as one of the 13 national hot spots for child prostitution.

Classmates talked about their boyfriends who had lots of money, and — like most kids in the Bay Area — she listened to music by Oakland rappers, whose lyrics about pimping glamorized "the game."

"A lot of it is glorified," says Darlene. "Oh, you're from Oakland. Everybody has dreads; everybody goes dumb; we pop pills, smoke a lot of weed; parties, sideshows and hos."
If you're not part of the scene, it's hard to believe that prostitution has become normal for so many in Oakland and other cities. But many see it as an alternative to desperate home lives, friends getting shot, no food on the table and absent parents. And pimps take advantage of that.

Darlene became a prostitute at the hands of what Oakland police call a "Romeo pimp." Now 18, she moved in with her boyfriend when she was 14, after she was kicked out of the house.

"On my 15th birthday, he was like, 'Well, you know, since you'll be staying with me, we need more food. We need to find a way to get some money'," says Darlene. "He's the one that, like, introduced me to prostitution, and I didn't see anything wrong with it."

Darlene says she later found out her then-18-year-old boyfriend had pimped other girls before. When he became her pimp, Darlene says, he told her what to do to make money. " 'This is how you look at the guys; this is what you tell them; these are what cars to stay away from; this is how much you charge.' "

On 'The Track'

International Boulevard, one of Oakland's busiest streets, is what pimps call "The Track." In a 50-block span on one recent day, there were some 20 girls. Some of them were posted on street corners; others were hanging by bus stops, or just walking the same blocks over and over.

National Hot Spots

In 2003, the FBI's Crimes Against Children Unit identified these 13 U.S. cities as having a high incidence rate of child prostitution.

The guys who work at one of the many taco trucks on International Boulevard say that every day, pimps use their parking lot to drop off girls and hang out. They say it's common to see pimps beating girls.

While most Oakland residents drive by and don't think twice about what's going on here, the people in this neighborhood do.

"They're always there," says Frank Pardo, whose mother owns Yoyi's Bridal shop. "You always see them, and some of them are quite beautiful, looking like straight models."

Just down the street, a teenage girl in a short red dress is crying on a bench. She has blood coming from her mouth. A business owner who runs a clothing store says he saw the whole thing: The man who punched the girl appeared to be her pimp, and stole her purse.

The witness would not identify himself by name, for fear of retribution from sex traffickers. That's the same reason he gave for not calling the police.

Brittney and Darlene each survived the many months they spent turning tricks on International Boulevard and meeting johns through the Internet. Brittney says her pimp got her hooked on drugs to keep her working around the clock and eating only one meal a day, usually a burger from McDonald's.

"It's not the best deal to have sex with 15 different guys in one day and only get a cheeseburger at the end of it," says Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Sharmin Bock. Bock compares the girls' situation to being brainwashed by a cult.

"Remember Guyana and Jim Jones, where everybody's drinking that Kool-Aid drink? Well, that's exactly what these girls have had. Let's call it pimp juice. They've all had it, and they can't see past either their affection for their trafficker, or their fear of him," says Bock.

A History Of Violence

According to a recent survey of social service providers in Oakland and the rest of the county, 61 percent of the teen prostitutes they see say they were raped as children.

That's what happened to Brittney. She says she was raped by her stepfather and years later by her trafficker. Brittney tries to understand how she kept going back to her pimp.

"I knew what he was capable of," she says. "He'd beat me and he'd rape me, he'd beat me and he'd rape me, and I just kept going back until I ended up being pregnant by him. And he beat me so bad that I ended up having a miscarriage."

"I got shot at quite a few times," says Darlene, who had been arrested for prostitution and robbery in the year after she ran away from her father's house. She wanted to go home.

"I used to fantasize about boys that are gangstas. 'Oh, they get hecka money and they're just gangsta and cute, and it's cool,' " says Darlene. "That's OK when you're in high school. After that, what are you gonna do with your life? You're gonna be in jail or you're gonna be dead, and I don't want part of either one of those."

A New Life

After her last arrest, Darlene joined a program that transitions girls off the streets. Brittney got out, too, shortly after she had the miscarriage.

"Six days later — it was a Sunday — and he put me on East 14th. I told him that I didn't want to be out on Sundays because I had a bad feeling about Sundays. And I saw my aunt. And my aunt ended up snatching me up and putting me in the car. And then she took me to my mom's house," says Brittney.
That warrant put Brittney back in jail for prostitution and, like Darlene, she enrolled in a community program.

It's been less than a year since Brittney and Darlene turned their lives around. Now they are both working with community organizations to help other girls escape sex trafficking. Darlene and Brittney consider themselves survivors, navigating a new life.

"I got back in school and I graduated high school with, like, 20 extra credits," says Darlene, who has two jobs and is planning to attend college. "When I was 15, I didn't see myself alive at the age of 18. And now I am 18, and I can look back and say, 'You know, I've been through all that, and I've come out of it.' It feels wonderful."

Tomorrow on All Things Considered, Youth Radio explores what local police and the FBI are doing to combat sex trafficking.

Bronx Community Solutions Empowers Clients to ACT AWARE

2010-12-03T10:43:00.003-05:00

The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day was “ACT AWARE.” We at Bronx Community Solutions empower our clients to act aware every day by providing HIV/AIDS education through our social service classes, on-site testing at our Better Health Decisions class and Spanish Speaking Orientation class, and through referrals for testing and treatment for HIV. These services would not be possible without the cooperation of two local community based organizations, VIP Services and Care for the Homeless who provide educational classes and free on-site testing. Over the last five years, hundreds of our clients have been tested do to the hard work and dedication of these organizations.

As one of the facilitators of an HIV/AIDS prevention class, I am always pleased when clients state "I thought this would be a waste of time, but I am glad I came" or "I am going to make sure I get tested" and my favorite "Can I have my girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/family member come listen to this information?"

New York City has one of the highest HIV rates in the United States, and the Bronx has been hit especially hard. The Bronx accounts for 16% of the City’s 8.5 million residents, yet the Borough represents 25% of the City’s new HIV cases. The Borough’s death rate from AIDS is nearly 10 times the national average, with 25% of residents only learning they are infected with HIV after they have progressed to full-blown AIDS. In 2007, the Bronx lost more residents to AIDS than any other Borough. The unique characteristics of the HIV epidemic in the Bronx have been attributed to Bronx residents being poorer, less educated, and having less access to medical services.

To address HIV in the community The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene launched a Borough wide initiative called “Bronx Knows” in 2007. Bronx Knows is a large-scale public health initiative to increase voluntary HIV testing so that every Bronx resident learns his or her HIV status and has access to quality care and prevention.

Through this initiative, the Bronx has been very successful in increasing HIV testing rates with 40% of residents tested last year, compared to 28% of Manhattan residents, 24% of Queens residents, 29% of Brooklyn residents, and 17% of Staten Island residents. In order to reach the goal of every Bronx resident being tested, 500,000 more Bronx residents, or 500 people a day for the next three years, still need to be tested.

We at Bronx Community Solutions are proud to be part of the education, testing and referral initiative in the Bronx and will continue to empower our clients to “ACT AWARE”

The Truly Meaningful Work Done at Bronx Community Solutions

2010-11-24T15:00:00.001-05:00

“All that I could do was gather enough strength to come see you…”

Those were the words of Candance, a client who came to the Bronx Community Solutions Clinic last week. She said it was the only place she could think to turn to for help.

Candace sought the help of our STARS Case Manager, Melissa, who is currently working with this client to complete a mandate of four days of social service, and was her case manager for a prior 10 day social service mandate.

Candace is currently facing a number of issues including addiction, transient housing, a new court case, mental health concerns, lack of food, and other medical issues.

When Candace came to the Social Service Clinic, she stated that was not feeling well, she was not doing well, and that she felt suicidal. She disclosed that the night before, she had taken 18 pills with the hope of not waking up the next morning. In the morning she took 4 additional pills and then came to Bronx Community Solutions for help.

Melissa immediately engaged our Mental Health Case Manager, Anjelica Raygoza for assistance and together they assessed the client and called 911. Fifteen minutes later, Candace was escorted to the emergency room. She thanked BCS and stated that she would contact Melissa as soon as she left the hospital

This experience reminded everyone at Bronx Community Solutions about the reason we do this work - to help people. Sometimes you even get the opportunity to help save a life.

Nationwide Sweep of Child Prostitution Rings

2010-11-10T09:59:00.000-05:00

The following story, from CNN.com by Michael Martinez describes a major crackdown on child prostution rings across the country.

(CNN) -- A three-day federal crackdown on child prostitution rings across the country has resulted in the recovery of 69 children and the arrest of 884 people, including 99 pimps, federal authorities said Monday.
Meanwhile, in Tennessee, authorities announced Monday they were arresting 29 individuals involved in gangs that trafficked underage Somali and African-America girls in a prostitution ring. The 29 people were connected to the Somali Outlaws, the Somali Mafia and the Lady Outlaws, officials said.
The three-day federal sweep, called Operation Cross Country V, involved 40 cities nationwide and is part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, authorities said.
"Child prostitution continues to be a significant problem in our country, as evidenced by the number of children rescued through the continued efforts of our crimes against children task forces," said Shawn Henry, executive assistant director of the FBI's Criminal, Cyber, Response and Service Branch, in a written statement. "There is no work more important than protecting America's children and freeing them from the cycle of victimization. Through our strategic partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies, we are able to make a difference."

The city where the most children were recovered was Seattle, Washington, with 16, said FBI Special Agent Jason Pack. Seven pimps were arrested there, he added.
Following Seattle were Tacoma, Washington, and Sacramento, California, each with seven child prostitutes retrieved by authorities, Pack said. Two pimps were arrested in Tacoma and three in Sacramento, he said.
The city with the largest number of pimps arrested was Detroit, with 10, Pack said.
To combat growing child prostitution, federal agencies formed the Innocence Lost National Initiative in June 2003 to address enterprises involved in the domestic sex trafficking of children. Those agencies were the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division, the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation-Obscenity Section and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
There are now 39 Innocence Lost task forces and working groups throughout the country.
So far, those units have recovered 1,250 children, and the initiative has resulted in 438 indictments, 625 convictions, 153 criminal enterprises disrupted and 58 successfully dismantled, authorities said. Convictions have resulted in sentences ranging up to 25-years-to-life and in the seizure of more than $3 million in assets, authorities said.

The most recent sweep, over a 72-hour period ending Sunday night, was the fifth such law enforcement operation, said Pack.
"Once again, Operation Cross Country has awakened the nation to the fact that today American children are being marketed and sold for sex in American cities," said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, in a written statement. "These kids are victims. This is 21st century slavery. We are proud to be a part of this extraordinary partnership to rescue children, save lives and bring the pimps and operators to justice."

The FBI says that at least 25 percent of adult prostitutes were enticed into the illegal activity as juveniles.
In Tennessee, federal authorities said the gangs transported the minor girls from Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has a large Somali immigrant community, to Nashville, Tennessee, for prostitution over a 10-year period. Some of the girls were 13 years old or younger.

"I would call this one of the more significant cases that we investigated," said John Morton, director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Project A.C.T. News Coverage

2010-11-08T10:15:00.001-05:00

The below video features Bronx Community Solutions' Artists Coming Together as featured on local channel twelve.

Bronx News Network: Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 3

2010-11-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

Bronx News Network: Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 3: "On the morning after, it appears Democrats will retain control of the state senate. (This is not a done deal, we'll keep you updated.) But w..."

Center for Court Innovation Hosts Community Court Conference

2010-10-25T09:44:00.000-04:00

Greg Berman, Director Center for Court Innovation

Earlier this week, with the help of the U.S. Department of Justice, The Center for Court Innovation held its first ever international conference of community courts in Dallas, Texas. In attendance were criminal justice officials from dozens of American cities as well as delegations from England, Australia, Canada, Chile and Mexico.
The conference began with videotaped remarks from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who said:

Over the course of nearly two decades, since the very first community court opened its doors in Manhattan, combining punishment with assistance has proven to be a critical strategy in improving public safety...Community courts have been essential in guiding efforts to reduce crime, empower communities and create opportunities. I’ve seen this first hand...While the size and scope of our community courts vary, they have all proven the power of community involvement in strengthening public safety and public confidence in our justice system. I’m proud of the progress that we are making and of the investments we are directing to support our community courts and the Center for Court Innovation.
The conference highlighted the work of existing community courts both in the U.S. and abroad, including three community courts in Dallas that served as hosts for the event.
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Mary Lou Leary, in her keynote remarks, said that “evidence shows that community courts simultaneously help to reduce crime, streamline the justice process, change sentencing practices, solve individual problems, and increase public trust in the justice system.” She went on to encourage participants to continue to innovate and to think of themselves as “evidence-generating” programs.
In keeping with this theme, the conference featured a number of cutting-edge community justice initiatives that are breaking new ground for the field:

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams described his plans to build on the existing community court in Philadelphia to create a network of locally-based courts in the city.

Initiated by Mayor Cory Booker, Newark Community Solutions will re-engineer how the city responds to low-level crime, emphasizing community restitution and social services instead of fines and incarceration.

Chief Justice Herb Yazzie outlined his intention to create a community court for the Navajo nation that would incorporate traditional tribal practices.

Portland District Attorney Michael Schrunk described a new initiative to co-locate a community court in a supportive housing facility for formerly homeless individuals.

All in all, it was an inspiring event that highlighted how far our ideas have traveled and how far we have come as an institution. As rewarding as this was, the best part for me was the uniform excellence of everyone from the Center who participated in the conference, whether as organizers, presenters, facilitators or documenters. Kudos to the entire Center team.

In the days to come, we will have photos and videos from the conference to share. In the meantime, here is a link to a short story on the conference from The Crime Report: http://thecrimereport.org/2010/10/20/community-courts-called-good-for-public-safety-in-budget-crisis/

New JSLP Cycle Examines Media's Influence on Youth

2010-10-14T08:50:00.002-04:00

By Saudi Encarnacion, Clinical Coordinator

The new Juvenile Service Learning Program (JSLP) cycle started out with a bang. The first days agenda included staff and participant introductions, team building excersices and ended with a written assignment which was based on defining and giving examples of mass media, followed by a group discussion based on this cycle’s theme: Does Media Influence Youth?: Pros and Cons.

As the discussion began there was an outburst of insightful commentaries by the youth. One young man answered, “Well, it can be good and bad because everyone can get influenced by it”. Another participant disputed, “people need to stop taking all that seriously because it’s just entertainment” then another young man responded, “but if you are young it can influence you a lot”. With little guidance, the youth continued to explore the ways different forms of media portray violence and sexuality. They even went into a detailed discussion about the intended subliminal messages advertizements give consumers. The groups participation left quite an impression on myself and the rest of the staff. We were excited to see them excited about the discusssion. Their response to such a contoversial subject indicates that these youth are capable of formulating well thought out arguments in a respectful manner and it is a testament of their desire to learn and be challenged.

All of the staff who work with JSLP are excited for this weekend's insights by the youth!

Youth Intervention Program Opens Minds

2010-09-29T09:32:00.003-04:00

By Orleny Rojas, Rescource Coordinator

On July 9th Bronx Community Solutions held its first Youth Impact Panel class. The class is part of the Youth Intervention Program (Y.I.P.) created to target youth between the ages of 16 to 21 with previous criminal court cases. The purpose of the program is to offer an alternative to incarceration, to connect the youth with services, and to offer decision making and consequential thinking while providing a forum to evaluate their actions and to express their views. The class is geared toward self-review and expression, and offers education on the responsibilities they have to their communities, families and themselves. Participants are given the opportunity to discuss their arrest through the many lenses and systems that interact within their lives. In the last eight weeks, we have seen the class grow from two participants to a steady five to nine.

The structure of the group is so that one of our Americorp interns leads the discussion with a staff member as a moderator. Through this dynamic, we have elicited an interesting interplay. The participants have found a voice and a sound board to express their views, but more than that, for the first time they are given a different perspective and point of view which has at times led to the begrudging concession of their one sided viewpoints. The information the class disseminates has allowed them to see and consider different points of views and the complex issues on both sides of the argument. It is particularly insightful, when participants offer the other point of view. One example is when the class discussion centers on Police relations and incidents that take place during the arrest process.

In the last month powerlessness and the strained relationship with the police were topics brought forth in every class. There is a general sense of frustration shared among the program participants when claims of police harassment come up. The participants share disclosures of similar experiences and the group leaders try to tie that into the impact criminal behavior has on their communities. In specific, how their actions can contribute towards the stereotypes and negative perceptions of youth. So far, there have been times when the group dynamic is not conducive towards insight and acceptance of their roles in their arrest. However, last week the group was candid and recognized that certain behaviors on their part led to their arrest and involvement with the criminal court system. At the end of the session every single one of the youth shook my hand and thanked me for listening. We are planting the seeds and offering the resources that create opportunities and options they did not have or could not access before.

Project A.C.T. - "We Hit the Jackpot"

2010-09-22T11:22:00.000-04:00

By T.K. Singleton Community Initiatives Coordinator

"Mommy look! we hit the jackpot!" - a local Hunts Point boy yelled (viewing an inflatable bowncy house) as he walked down Whitlock Avenue and 165th Street.

The Bronx is the birthplace of international culture, but you wouldn't know it by walking through this corridor of Longwood/Hunts Point. These murals are as important to the business owners in the area as they are to the residents of the community. A community, by definition generates its own content, its own style and culture. It’s all by the people, for the people and that‘s the motivation for the project.

For me, "We hit the Jackpot" is the summary of last Saturday's event! The community came out and celebrated the viewing of the recently installed murals by DYM, GFR and the "Legendary Mural Kings" TAT's Crew. Each Block had a feeling of pride and culture. I spoke to a parent said that " Whitlock used to so dark and scary, I would get off at Hunt pt. train station and walk... Now Im getting off at Whitlock" Project A.C.T. (Artist Coming Together) not only changes the overall look of the community, it change the perception of the residents, business owners and even MTA workers(who have been working tirelessly to complete the new Whitlock avenue train station). The Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr was talking to his father( State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz, Sr) about the project he told his father "this is the Type of Graffiti we promote"- explaining the difference between Murals and Bombing. As the day progressed, We had yet another visitor Assemblyman Marcos Crespo who was in awe of the different type of Murals.

The day was filled with music, food and art- everyone who attended (both young and old, Artists and Business owners, BCS and Police) left will a feeling of accomplishment and contentment that an idea was put into A.C.T.ion

Times Square Inc. Graduation Ceremony Inspires

2010-09-17T14:54:00.000-04:00

Angel Hernandez, Gradute of the Year

On Wednesday night this week, Midtown Community Court, another CCI project, hosted a star-studded affair for recent graduates of Times Square Ink who are now employed. In spite of the rough economy, TSI has been tremendously successful this year having placed over 70 graduates in employment, more than half of our graduates.

Highlights of the evening included the keynote address by District Attorney Cy Vance and remarks from John Jay College President Jeremy Travis. We premiered a short film that was produced in collaboration with John Jay about a recent TSI graduate. We also honored our Volunteer of the Year, and most importantly, recognized our Graduate of the Year, Angel Hernandez.

Angel's story is remarkable. He was released from prison a little over a year ago. After completing TSI and continuing to work with the staff, as well as going through many ups and downs in his job search, he was hired by a Manhattan sports club. In the last few months he has risen through the ranks to the position of Facility Manager -- he now manages 18 employees! In fact, Angel recently hired another TSI grad who was also recognized at the event.

An Example of BCS Success.

2010-09-14T12:57:00.004-04:00

By Melissa Novock, STARS Case Manager

"You never gave up on me, and that made me not give up on myself."

Those were the words of one of the BCS clients involved in the STARS initiative. She futher expressed, " I don't have the urge to get high, instead, I want to explore all of the new opportunities before me."
This client, Ms. Smith received a social service mandate several months ago. She never made it to her first appointment at Success Counseling. However, in August, Ms. Smith was picked up on a warrant and brought before Judge Eugene Oliver. Judge Oliver asked if BCS would be willing to work with Ms. Jones again, and the answer was absolutely, yes.

Ms. Smith expressed a great deal of determination to finish her mandate while in court and promised she would do the work this time. She not only completed her mandate, she also took a courageous step in working on some of her own personal goals. Ms. Smith completed the detox/rehab program at Conifer Park and to this day she continues to work with Success Counseling and BCS.

Ms. Smith came into the BCS clinic on two occasions last week to share her joy in completing the rehab program and to express her appreciation and gratitude to BCS.

Being grateful for her past experiences and relying not only on her connections to BCS but also her faith within, She will definitely continue working towards accomplishing her goals.

Celebrities Sentenced to Community Service Too

2010-09-13T13:06:00.001-04:00

The below New York Times article discusses the community service work that defendants perform as part of their alternative sentences. Community Service sentence hold the defendant accountable for their actions, at the same time that is improves neighborhoods and communities. Click the title below for the full article.

In Community Service, Celebrity Justice Means the Same Dirty Work

By JOHN ELIGON

Published: September 1, 2010

Caroline Giuliani’s court-ordered punishment is likely to be the same kind of humiliating, laborious job that tens of thousands of others are assigned each year.

Graffiti's Long History of Revitalizing the Bronx.

2010-08-25T15:25:00.000-04:00

The following story from NY1 discussed the historical and social change impact of graffitti in the Bronx. We thought this story was relevant as we prepare for Artists Coming Together A.C.T., a project that will install permanent graffitti art in the 41st precinct in an effort to improve the quality of life in the area. Clicke the link below to view the video

Once Upon A Time In The Bronx: Fashion Moda Leaves Behind Artistic Mark

http://bronx.ny1.com/content/top_stories/124265/once-upon-a-time-in-the-bronx--fashion-moda-leaves-behind-artistic-mark

As the station continues its week-long look at the history of the Bronx, one local photographer recently shared her photo archives of an art gallery that many say made a difference in the borough. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following report.

In the midst of the abandoned and burnt out buildings of the South Bronx during the 1970s and 1980s some artists found beauty. They saw something intriguing in all the despair and rubble.

"It felt important okay? It also felt permanent because it was so devastated. It was like how are they going to bring this back. But it felt important," said photographer Lisa Kahane.

Kahane's book titled "Do Not Give Way to Evil: Photographs of the South Bronx 1979 to 1987" illustrates the horror and hope of the borough. She was a photographer for a groundbreaking place called Fashion Moda, which opened in 1978 along the shopping district on Third Avenue. It was a gallery and performance space built on the theme of science, art, invention, technology and fantasy.

"Who is allowed to make art, who defines what art is, who gets to see it. Why does it always have to be situated in one neighborhood rather than another," Kahane said.

A lot of people from Downtown Manhattan ran the studio and invited their artist friends, like Keith Baring, up to the Bronx where they honed their styles. But the gallery was open to all, a sort of racial equality in art. Moda is the the Spanish word for fashion. And those in the South Bronx had their own fashion and art style.
"They would say. 'Oh well I have paintings can I bring them?' Yeah, sure bring them. And there was a South Bronx show every year," Kahane said.

In 1980, Fashion Moda was one of the first studios to open its doors to graffiti artists who had been making a big name for themselves on subway cars.

"This was wildly popular with the hundreds of kids who were doing graffiti in the neighborhood," Kahane said.

Some of the artwork and sculptures from Fashion Moda are actually still on display in the Bronx, including a series of castings of real people titled "We Are Family." The display was created in 1982 at Fashion Moda by artist John Ahearn.

"So we did the casting right on that stage. And after I did one casting, I realized that this was heaven, this was fantastic," Ahearn said. "As we would finish each one, we would put them on the wall. And as they accumulated, they would become the South Bronx hall of fame."

Fashion Moda closed its doors in the early 1990s, but its legacy and spirit lives on.

Putting the A.C.T in Action for My Community

2010-08-25T13:17:00.001-04:00

Omar Camacho with the Community Service Crew (last person on the right).

Being a Bronx native, I have had the privilege to intern here at Bronx Community Solutions for two years. I have had the chance to do multiple projects in and outside the court house and all over the Bronx. So when I was asked to assist on a new project called Artist’s Coming Together (A.C.T.) mural project, I was more than happy to. Not only does this project bring color and life to an area in the Bronx that is plagued with graffiti and lacks certain municipal services like street cleaning: It would be right in my community-just blocks away from my house!

During the planning stages of the project, I have been able to talk to the graffiti crews and get their personal views on graffiti art, and their passion for doing murals in my community. I also had an opportunity to meet the officers that work behind the scenes for many of the police/community events, the 41st community affairs officers Warrick and Haddock.
This project has brought some of the best graffiti art crews in the city to participate and show how this native Bronx art form has impacted their lives. The artists are: D.Y.M ( Dream, Yearn, Materialize) which hale from Brooklyn , G.F.R (Get Fresh Rhythms) from Queens, and the Bronx's very own legendary "TATS CRU: The Mural Kings” to create beautiful community, Bronx based murals in the area of 165th and Whitlock Avenue. All crews may be from different boroughs and there may be some friendly competition, but they all have one common goal and that’s to represent their crew and even more importantly, represent THE BRONX.

As the unveiling date approaches (Saturday, September 18, 2010), Bronx community solutions, NYPD 41st precinct and the artists are working steadily to ensure that the day is filled with music, food, arts, and culture!

Reflections on SBIRT Training

2010-08-18T16:44:00.003-04:00

The BCS staff has had time to reflect on the SBIRT training provided by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Here are some reactions to the one day training that covered the Screening and Brief Intervention/Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) tool, motivational interviewing, and stages of change.

“The most instructive part of the training was the section on “reflective listening” based on Carl Rogers client-centered approach. This tool facilitates an interaction that flows more like a conversation - not an interrogation. This technique gives the client more opportunities to share their thoughts and experiences. Also, it gives the practitioner information that might have been missed by just asking questions. I believe that when put into practice; it will allow us to connect with the client more effectively. This approach will also differentiate us from the criminal justice system whose role is to pass judgment on the case. B.C.S. on the other hand, is an organization offering help and alternatives to incarceration.”
Orleny Rojas
Resource Coordinator

"I appreciated the reminder that our clients typically know what they need--they don't need us to tell them that. What they need is for us to explain what services are available to meet those needs. I feel like understanding this allows for a more collaborative and productive relationship."
Carrie Potts
Resource Coordinator

“One thing that stood out for me is that moving toward evidence-based practice deters practitioners from being subjective/arbitrary or doing what "feels right" or what seems to work for others. This drug and alcohol assessment tool has shown to have validity in different environments and across cultures and languages.”
Saudi Encarnacion
Clinical Coordinator

“More than anything, the training reminded me of the importance a first impression can make on a client/potential client (even from something as simple as the tone of our voice, or a first glance). As someone who has been working with this population for four years, I have become quite used to the environment in and around the Bronx Criminal Courthouse. However, there are tons of people who pass through my office and the courthouse on a daily basis who are having their first experience with the criminal justice system. It's important to not lose track of the fact that as an alternatives to incarceration agency, we're here to assist in any way possible - and it all starts with that initial interaction.

While Bronx Community Solutions is not certain exactly how the SBIRT process will be implemented into our operation, one place it may definitely help is with screening potential clients who are waiting for arraignment (prior to sentencing). By utilizing the SBIRT process, court staff will able to better determine the type of sentence (whether it's something as simple as an Individual Counseling Session or something more involved such as treatment) that is most appropriate for each client.”
Danny Abriano
Resource Coordinator

Bronx Community Solutions Staff Attends SBIRT Training.

2010-08-16T14:43:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday August 11 and Thursday August 12, 2010 BCS Staff attended training on a Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).

The SBIRT is an evidence based screening tool that represents a paradigm shift in screening and treatment for substance use and abuse. While traditional screening methods have been used for persons with more severe substance use or those who have met the criteria for a Substance Use Disorder according to the DSMIV, the SBIRT tool is designed to assess a person’s risk before there is a diagnosable condition. This tool targets those with nondependent substance use and provides effective strategies for intervention prior to the need for more extensive or specialized treatment. The SBIRT tool can be used by anyone in the social service or medical field and does not have to be administered by a specialized drug and alcohol counselor.

The Department Of Health and Mental Hygiene has an initiative to implement this screening system within community and medical settings, in order to screen and identify individuals with or at-risk for substance use related problems. Screening determines the severity of substance use and identifies the appropriate level of intervention. The system provides an avenue for brief intervention or brief treatment within the community setting.

The training included a review of the stages of change, motivational interviewing strategies, an overview of the effects of alcohol on the body, a review of the SBIRT tool, and the ability to practice administering the tool. Melissa Novock, BCS STARS Case Manager states: “I think that a tri-level approach including the stages of change model, motivational techniques and validation practices will be beneficial to our clients both in creating awareness and establishing change in behavior(s).”

Reflections on the Juvenile Service Learning Cycle

2010-08-05T16:22:00.001-04:00

By Saudi Encarnacion, Cinical Coordinator

The highlight of this cycle was our trip to the Museum of Modern Art. We received VIP treatment since Tuesdays are not open to the general public and we had a great tour guide. I really wasn't sure if the kids would be open to the experience of going to the museum but I received a HUGE surprise! The kids were impressed with the architecture of the building, the paintings and they also participated in a discussion of the art work presented by our tour guide, Calder Zwicky. They were very inquisitive and asked well thought of questions regarding the art work presented. They made impressive efforts in trying to formulate an understanding of the message the artists wanted to send. They observed work from Picasso, and learned about his art form, "cubism" and had a dialogue about two of his famous paintings: Three Musicians and Girl Before a Mirror.
They also observed Andy Warhol’s piece, Campbell's Soup Cans. They also learned about “futurism" as an art form and observed work from Fillippo Tommaso Marinetti. They learned about the history of modern art, and participated in a thorough discussion of what "modern art" means to them. They also asked about the process undertaken for an artist to have their work in the MOMA and they even asked how art work is valued. They were flabbergasted when they found out the price value of the art work they were seeing. They were wide-eyed and engaged throughout the whole and like sponges absorbed all the information provided. At the end of our visit, our tour guide, Calder Zwicky gave the kids MOMA passes where they are able to bring four more guests for free. They were ecstatic and immediately began making plans as to who they would invite. On our way to the train station one of the kids said, "Yo, this trip wasn't bad".

BCS Assists with National Night Out Events Throughout the Bronx

2010-08-04T14:40:00.002-04:00

By Moises Reyes

Yesterday Bronx Community Solutions participated in the 27th annual National Night Out Against Crime; a national event that heightens awareness about and strengthens community participation in local anticrime efforts. This event occurs the first Tuesday in August every year. This year, Bronx Community Solutions worked in 4 Precincts across the Bronx (43rd, 44th, 48th, and 52nd)

The morning began with a collaborative cleaning effort with BSC’s Crew 1 and John Corbin from Sanitation #4. We assisted the 44th Precinct with their National Night Out event by cleaning the streets and empting garbage cans along the perimeter. We also assisted Community Affairs Officers DET. Watley and P.O. Lonesome with unloading packages and setting up tables. They were very thankful to have us there!

We then visited the 48th Precinct, the Bronx host site for Mayor Bloomberg, Commissioner Ray Kelly District Attorney Robert Johnson. We worked with Community Affairs Officer Tony DiGiovanna to help him clean and set up tables. The location site was 187st Street /Arthur Avenue (BX. Little Italy).

Crew 2 handled our afternoon agenda. Bronx Community Solutions went to the 43rd Precinct to assist Community Affairs Officer Dais and L.T. Timony. We assisted by unloading shirts, hats, toys and other supplies for the day’s event.

Our last stop was at the 52nd Precinct. We worked with Community Affairs Officer Ortega and Parks Superintendent Acosta to help them set up the various stations/tables, balloons and clean the park.

It was a great day, just knowing that we participated on such important event.

The clients not only behaved well but they enjoy the many perks like free hamburgers, and t. shirts!

Facilitating Client Success through Outreach

2010-07-30T16:23:00.003-04:00

" A few outreach stories..."
By Melissa Novock, STARS Case Manager

Bronx Community Solutions has many roles in working with clients and one of the roles includes doing "outreach" work. Specifically, BCS conducts outreach which consists of working with individuals who are involved in prostitution. This blog is a report on my most recent outreach shift.

On Thursday, 7/22/10 night, into Friday, 7/23/10 morning, I went on an outreach shift, along, with a fellow BCS employee, and two officers from the 41st precinct. We met a total of four women that evening and our shift was a great example of the power of human connection. One common theme revealed itself that night, the idea that, even in the darkest places, we can see light. Three out of the four women have been working on the track for sometime, and not only did they recognize BCS but they decided to engage and reconnect with BCS. The interesting thing is that they actually had previous contact with BCS, via their court mandates and the following week after our outreach shift, a few of our clients voluntarily came into the BCS clinic.

Let me share just a part of their stories. One of our clients, (let's refer to her as "Diana") had a few prior cases. Through a brief interaction during outreach, one in which she felt we were there for her and available to "meet her where she was at", Diana stated "I will be in to see you." I left Diana with these words, "You can come back to BCS with an appointment or without an appointment, we are here to help." Diana definitely is a woman of her word. She VOLUNTARILY, on her own volition, came to the clinic Monday morning to follow up and we had a chance to meet. She requested court advocacy, as well as some basic support. We quickly established a rapport of respect that honored her strength and determination. She begins a new job this week and is currently in an outpatient program. And we agreed, everything begins with a single step. I am looking forward to keeping an eye on her case along with her progress. We are wishing her well on the start of her next chapter.

Another client, (let's call her "Lisa"), not only requested court advocacy, but she also appeared in our clinic the following week. Through our outreach shift we found out her next court date and a Resource Coordinator appeared in court as part of our court advocacy. We were able to advocate on behalf of Lisa and her warrant was stayed. And yes, BCS will be in court with Lisa on her next court date. Two days later, Lisa appeared in our clinic. She decided she needed to talk to someone and she remembered that we were there to help. We had an inspiring session and she is intent on completing her court mandate and building her independence which includes a safe, violent free future.

And finally, a former BCS client, (let's call her "Beth") recently completed a BCS mandate and she has a goal of getting into a substance abuse treatment program. On Thursday night she mentioned she would like to follow up and get into a program. She was very surprised to see us on the streets, and in being able to talk with us, she felt very supported. I stated "our doors are always open, and when you are ready, come in and let's get to work."

It is very telling that three out of four clients have had a previous relationship with BCS, but even more powerful, is the fact that they are choosing to voluntarily work with us. Outreach is crucial, because we are able to make a "connection", as brief as it may be. In other cases we are able to strengthen an already existing relationship. The result: meeting women where they are at and being able to meet their needs at that given time, an example of success, or should I say, three poignant examples of success.

Until next shift,

Melissa

Graffiti Artists Coming Together to Improve the Community

2010-07-26T12:20:00.000-04:00

Bronx Community Solutions (BCS) will be parterning with NYPD’s 41st Precinct in a new and exciting community event, a mural painting community service project called “A.C.T”, Artists Coming Together. This project will bring graffiti writers, including TATS CRU “the mural kings’, BT Crew and DYM Crew, together to create beautiful murals promoting community empowerment in an area that has been plagued by graffiti and other crimes.

Project A.C.T. is a new component of our Graffiti Removal Initiative. Many of our communities have been saturated with graffiti. In response, BCS community service crews have painted over many sites. These sites are then maintained by community residents and business owners. To advance our Graffiti Removal Initiative, we intend to create four (4) murals that promote cultural and community unity in the Hunts Point neighborhood. In partnership with community members, we will maintain the murals after they have been painted. This initiative will provide a unique opportunity to establish a permanent symbol of the Hunts Point community’s commitment to improvement and a better quality of life for all residents, businesses and visitors.

New York Times Article Addresses Hiring Practices for Those with Criminal Convictions

2010-07-22T11:01:00.003-04:00

An opinion piece published in the New York Times yesterday addresses hiring practices that affect those who have criminal convictions. Often those who have convictions, even in their distant past, are barred from employment. This practice maintains an economic inequity that can obstruct a person from re-building their life. Click the title above to read the full article

Opinion
Hiring and Fairness

Published: July 20, 2010
Confining people with criminal convictions to the very margins of society by denying them employment is unfair and self-defeating. Sensible new laws recognize that.

Partnership Addresses the need for Domestic Violence Services in the Bronx

2010-07-16T12:55:00.001-04:00

The New York Post recently reported on a new study which shows that Bronx residents are more likely to be the victims of dommestic violence than those in other boroughs.

City officials counted 15,620 domestic-abuse reports in The Bronx in 2009 -- a rate of 1,117 reports per 100,000 residents, nearly twice the rate in Manhattan, according to numbers gathered by the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence.

Manhattan had the lowest rate, with 585 battered victim reports per 100,000 residents last year. Brooklyn had 799, Staten Island 629 and Queens 605.

Bronx Community Solutions has partnered with Sanctuaries for Families to screen women arrested for prositution-related offenses for domestic violence. Through this partnership, we have an Advocate Counselor who provides clinical services. In addition to serving this often invisible population, this partnership has increased our ability to serve and refer any client who is the victim of domestic violence.

Juvenile Service Learning Program Begins

2010-07-09T16:33:00.000-04:00

The summer cycle for the Juvenile Service Learning Program JSLP (formerly known as JAC: Juvenile Accountability Court) began yesterday, and runs until July 16, 2010

The Juvenile Service Learning Program is a Family Court/Alternative To Placement program for youth on probation who are mandated to complete 60 hours of community service. The purpose of this program is to incorporate service learning into traditional community service, encouraging youth to meaningfully reflect on their experience. In addition to completing community service, the participants will also visit the Museum of Modern Art and participate in an educational workshop about the criminal justice system.

Agenda: 2010 Summer Cycle
Day 1: World Vision- The participants will begin the cycle working in World Vision. The task for this day is to organize newly received inventory as well package items that will be distributed to other community organizations.
Day 2: Sustainable South Bronx- On this day the participants will be perform hands-on field work that includes planting trees, flowers, maintenance work and watering plants.
Day 3: Step Streets: Participants will be working on beautifying some of the Bronx’s well known step-streets by picking up garbage and removing graffiti.
Day 4: MOMA: The participants will be going on a mentally stimulating journey at the Museum of Modern Art.

Day 5: World Vision: The participants will be organizing inventory and preparing care packages for distribution in community programs.
Day 6: Graffiti Removal: The participant will be removing graffiti from an area designated by the community.

Day 7: Educational Workshop: This workshop will help probationers understand the arrest process in the juvenile justice system. The facilitator will be utilizing a comic made by teenagers in the Youth Justice Board as a guide to run this workshop.

By: Saudi Encarnacion, Clinical Coordinator

2010-07-06T10:16:00.000-04:00

The Center for Court Innovation Youth Justice Board has recently released a comic book entitled "I Got Arrested! Now What?" . The comic follows a young person arrested for delinquency as his case makes its way through the challenging shoals of the juvenile justice system. The Board wrote the comic to provide young people and their families with a plain language, easy-to-understand guide that hopefully demystifies the process and offers useful tips to achieving better case - and life - outcomes. The comic was a product of a collaboration with the Center for Urban Pedagogy and the Department of Probation. It is, in a word, terrific. In the near future, the Department of Probation will begin distributing the pamphlet to all respondents coming through intake following a delinquency arrest.

BCS Launches the Youth Intervention Program (YIP)

2010-06-29T10:13:00.000-04:00

One of our organization’s most important goals is to develop a youth program that intervenes with and has a positive impact on the youth who come in contact with the criminal court system. Beginning July 1st 2010, Bronx Community Solutions will offer a new youth intervention program for young people aged 16-20 that will consist of (2) sessions of youth specific work shops and (2) days of community service.

This new package is designed to address the special needs of young people who are sentenced to complete a Bronx Community Solutions mandate. Since beginning operations in January 2005, over twenty percent of individuals sentenced to Bronx Community Solutions have been between 16-20 years old at the time of their arrest.

The Youth Intervention Program (YIP) provides a method for the court to blend help and punishment as a way to effectively impact the targeted age group. The program’s goals are to promote personal accountability, deter criminal behavior, offer legal education, and provide educational and professional resources. Each participant sentenced to complete this program will receive the following:

• Two youth specific workshops (one-and-a-half hours in length) designed to provide a life skills learning forum and evaluate their deviant behavior with the goal of addressing the underlying problems. Through a Youth Life Skills class, individuals sentenced to this program will learn about personal responsibility and accountability. In addition, program participants will learn coping and problem solving techniques to make better choices. Through the Youth Impact Panel class, participants will evaluate the behaviors that lead to their arrest and explore the impact it has on themselves, their families and their communities.

• Two days – three days of meaningful community service, such as painting over graffiti, cleaning local parks, or working at non-profit organizations sorting donations. Through this work young people are held accountable for their behavior and make reparations to the community.

The mission of this program is to educate young people and engage them in direct services in an effort to prevent future re-offending. In addition to the workshops and community service, Bronx Community Solutions will offer referrals to key services, such as substance abuse treatment, educational programs, and job training. The program will have open and continuous enrollment allowing defendants to begin their mandate immediately and complete the program within two weeks.

The Court System: An Uncommon Place for Help and Support

2010-06-22T16:50:00.001-04:00

When someone thinks of the courts, their image is usually one of an impersonal bureaucracy where people are reduced to docket numbers and rap sheets. Bronx Community Solutions is working with the court to change that image and bridge the gap between courts and community. Often, that work is done one person at a time.

Today, a woman who was not a BCS client stopped by the Bronx Community Solutions office because “it seemed like you all would be able to help.”

This woman has had a long legal struggle with a landlord that has neglected both repairs and a bedbug infestation in her apartment building. The most recent incident has left her with no mattress and no clothes. This struggle led her to the court house, where she found our office and asked for assistance.

Through a long standing relationship with Catholic Charities, our Community Service Coordinator, Moises Reyes scheduled an appointment for her to receive clothing from their Social Service Office. This small step will enable her to have more than the one outfit she has been washing in her sink each day for two months.

We could not mediate the issues with the landlord for her, but an infusion of clothes and other household supplies will make her struggle easier to handle, and can provide her with the needed support to continue to fight for her rights.

Smart on Crime’ Mantra of Philadelphia Prosecutor

2010-06-22T12:59:00.002-04:00

This Sunday, the New York Times reported that the new District Attorney in Philadelphia has vowed to get “smart on crime.” The District Attorney's Office has downgraded penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana from jail time to community service and fines.

This is the exact appoach that Bronx Community Solutions facilitates in the Bronx Criminal Court by providing increased sentencing options for low level criminal offenses.

You can read the fulll article by clicking the title above.

WNYC - News - Albany Moves to Let Sex Trafficking Victims Clear Criminal Records

2010-06-17T13:15:00.002-04:00

WNYC - News - Albany Moves to Let Sex Trafficking Victims Clear Criminal Records

On the heels of a report released by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton acknowledging that a modern "slave trade" exists in this country, New York legislators voted to approve a bill that would allow sex trafficking victims to vacate prostitution convictions from their record.

This legislation will allow women to remove any prostitution related offenses from their criminal record. Prostitution charges stay on a person's criminal record for life, and these charges present a major barrier to securing employment and applying for legal residency. This system keeps women dependent on their traffickers and abusers.

The legislation is reported to also allow any woman who is coerced into prostitution (even if she is not a victim of trafficking) the opportunity to vacate her convictions. What is yet to be seen is what proof the courts will require to ascertain if a woman was coerced.

This legislation has major implications for the women that Bronx Community Solutions serve through our alternatives to prostitution programs. Many women who are engaged in prostitution are also victims of sexual and domestic violence, and some are coerced into prostitution by intimate partners or other family members.

The bill is authored by Democratic Assemblyman Richard Gottfried of Manhattan and was passed by the Senate on Tuesday and the Assembly in May. The governor still has to sign the bill into law.

Choices and Consequences on the Road

2010-06-14T14:05:00.000-04:00

By T.K. Singleton, Community Initiatives Coordinator

2010’s Law day event was the kick off to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office’s “Choices and Consequences” an interactive presentation geared towards high school youth on the dangers of reckless driving. Accompanying that presentation is a mobile museum called “One Second… Everything Changes” which showcases some the most horrific DWI cases in the Bronx. Within the museum you will see victims’ personal artifacts, trial stories, and pictures of mothers, fathers, and young people affected by a reckless driver.

This June, the mobile museum has made its premier stop at the School for Law, Government and Justice. It will be on display through the end of the school year. The Director of Community Partners, Kim Fields, immediately wanted to be on-board and was excited to know that they would be the premier venue. Joseph McCormack, Chief of Vehicular Crimes Prosecution, NYS Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor, Office of the Bronx District Attorney, and Assistant Curator of the mobile museum is both over joyed and excited to see the impact this will have on youth and their decision making when it comes to driving.

Community Partnerships Highlighted in Daily News

2010-06-10T15:53:00.003-04:00

“I think we’ve made a difference,” is the statement quoted from T.K. Singleton, Community Initiatives Coordinator, in a Daily New Article published on June 8, 2010. The article discussed our initiative with Community Board 7 and the 52nd Precinct to address quality of life issues -with prostituion being one of the more pressing concerns.

In partnership with local police, the District Attorney's Office, defense attorneys and Judges, BCS offers women arrested for prostitution related charges the option of participating in relevant social service programs that are designed to address the underlying causes that lead women to be prostitution, including screening all clients for domestic and sexual victimization.

This approach to solving quality of life crimes holistically simultaneously improves communities and the lives of individuals.

BCS Participates in Bronx Harmony Day Softball Tournament

2010-06-10T09:46:00.003-04:00

by Darren Mills, Case Manager

The staff of Bronx Community Solutions played in the NYPD's Bronx Harmony Day Softball Tournament. The event was organized by Officer Eliu Feliciano of Community Affairs of Patrol Borough Bronx. The event was to raise support for Bronx Harmony Day on July 27 which is NYPD's signature Bronx community engagement event.

Bronx Community Solutions has partnered with Officer Feliciano and Community Affairs on other initiatives. This event was the perfect example of innovative approach BCS has to community and court engagement; working with the police department to support events that address community needs.

Examining California's Three Strike Law

2010-06-03T09:19:00.011-04:00

The below New York Times Magazine article highlights the harshness of California's Three Strikes Law, and how some lawyers and judges are working to reform the law and reopen cases where defendants were sentenced to life for non-violent crimes.

This piece highlights the need for alternatives to incarceration programs. Bronx Community Solutions provides increased sentencing options for judges and attorneys which provide an opportunity for defendants to be sentenced to a combination of social service, such as counseling or classes, and community service so they can work to rebuild the communities they live in and ultimately, their lives. This problem solving approach combines punishment with help for defendants that commit misdemeanor offenses similar to the petty theft described in the article which led Norman Williams to be sentenced to life.

What are your thoughts on California's Three Strike Law, and on alternatives to incarceration programs?

May 17, 2010
Arguing Three Strikes
By EMILY BAZELON

One day last fall, Norman Williams sat drinking hot chocolate with his lawyer, Michael Romano, at a Peet’s coffee in Palo Alto, Calif. At an outdoor table, Williams began to talk about how he’d gone from serving a life sentence at Folsom State Prison to sitting there in the sun. “After being shut down for so many years. I didn’t believe it,” he said of the judge’s decision to release him in April 2009.

Williams, who is 46, was a homeless drug addict in 1997 when he was convicted of petty theft, for stealing a floor jack from a tow truck. It was the last step on his path to serving life. In 1982, Williams burglarized an apartment that was being fumigated: he was hapless enough to be robbed at gunpoint on his way out, and later he helped the police recover the stolen property. In 1992, he stole two hand drills and some other tools from an art studio attached to a house; the owner confronted him, and he dropped everything and fled. Still, for the theft of the floor jack, Williams was sentenced to life in prison under California’s repeat-offender law: three strikes and you’re out.

Full Article

Bronx Week Art Exhibition Highlights Impact of Court Mandated Community Service

2010-05-20T12:16:00.004-04:00

On Wednesday, May 19, 2010 Bronx Community Solutions, and the 161st Business Improvement Distict, sponsored an art exhibition entitled “Shifting Lenses: The Bronx Court’s Response to Community Service.” This exhibit, part of Bronx Week, chronicles the effect of court ordered community service in the Bronx through Bronx Community Solutions’ community impact, graffiti removal, and step street community service projects. All of these initiatives are in collaboration with our community partners including the NYPD, the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, local community based organizations, the Department of Sanitation, the Parks Department, Community Boards, and most importantly, community residents.

The event was a huge success with over 40 attendees including Assemblywomen Gibson who cut the ribbon during our ribbon cutting ceremony, the Deputy Borough President, and the granddaughter of Winston Churchill. The excitement over the community service projects was palatable as participants viewed the 30 framed photographs.

Bronx Community Solutions would like to thank their Community Advisory Board who created this idea at their January meeting, Cary Goodman for providing a space to make it happen, and of course, the community partners that have made the community service projects possible.

If you missed the exhibit opening, you can still view the exhibit through May 26, 2010 at the 161st Street Bid Office, located at the corner of 161st Street and Grand Concourse.

Bronx Community Solutions Hosts Appreciation Banquet

2010-05-07T15:13:00.002-04:00

We are happy to report that Bronx Community Solutions hosted their first Appreciation Breakfast. The purpose of this event was to show gratitude to our community partners for their willingness to collaborate, dedication, and support. The event was quite a success, and those in attendance were very pleased to meet BCS staff members and other partners.

Undoubtedly, community partners, substance abuse treatment providers, vocational programs, mental health facilities, community clinics, non-profit organizations and neighborhood schools are the backbone of Bronx Community Solutions. The hard work of these organizations allows Bronx Community Solutions to provide quality services and meaningful experiences to our clients.

The agenda for the morning included a discussion on the impact of ongoing partnerships, current BCS projects and initiatives, the courts, and on our community. A case vignette was provided so that our partners could have a greater understanding of the ways we work with court stakeholders and how open lines of communication between the courts and partners serve clients.

Lastly, the morning ended with commendations for two of our valued community service providers. The first commendation went to World Vision for their partnership with our community service initiative. Through this partnership, clients are provided with much needed indoor space for community service during harsh weather conditions. The second is Mosha’s Parking Lot for generously allowing our van to park for free, in addition to providing space to store community service supplies. Our community service crew benefits greatly from these partnerships.

We would like to thank the organization that came to the breakfast: NYC Justice Corps, VIP Community Services, Bronx Community Recovery Center, The PAC Program, World Vision, Anger Solutions, Care for the Homeless, United Bronx Parents, HELP/PSI, Wildcat Service Corp., Howie the Harp, GEMS, Bronx School of Law, Government and Justice, EXALT, Narco Freedom

Court Allows Challenge to Legal Aid System in N.Y.

2010-05-06T14:28:00.003-04:00

The New York Times article linked below discusses a class-action suit that will challenge the legal system's representation of the poor through legal aid. Changing the Court will be following this case as it progresses.

Court Allows Challenge to Legal Aid System in N.Y.
By WILLIAM GLABERSON
Published: May 6, 2010
The state’s highest court said that there were signs the system of providing lawyers for the poor was failing, clearing the way for a class-action suit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/nyregion/07court.html

Get Green Earth Fest 2-24-2010

2010-04-29T10:40:00.003-04:00

Bronx Community Solutions Supports GetGreen South Bronx Earth Fest

On Saturday, April 24, 2010 Bronx Community Solutions’ Community Service Crew assisted with the third annual “GetGreen South Bronx Earth Fest” in honor of Earth Day. Participation in this event highlights BCS’s on-going commitment to a greener Bronx and New York City.

Over 30 businesses, community organizations, city agencies and not-for-profit groups participated in this year’s GetGreen festival. Featured entertainment included Bronx hip hop legends DJ Jazzy Jay, GrandMaster Caz and Carols “Mare 139” Rodriguez. Activities included the “Environmental Mobile - a nature and maritime museum on wheels; and a visit by Global Man, New York’s own environmental superhero, who posed with BCS staff and crew. The Bronx Borough President’s Office and the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education also held a Textile and E-Waste recycling drive, which collected electronics, clothing and more for recycling.

Event organizers included the Bronx Borough President’s Office, Bronx River Alliance, Bronx GreenUp, City Matters LLC, Council on the Environment of NYC, LAS Consulting, Materials for the ARTS/NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Nox Quedamos, Grow NYC’s Office of Recycling Outreach and Education, the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Coroporation (SoBro), the Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy and Waste Management of New York.

BCS would like to extend a special thank you to John Johnson (pictured in green below), Grow NYC Outreach Coordinator and BCS Community Advisory Board Member, for inviting us to particpate in this event.

Law Day Event in the Bronx Hall of Justice

2010-04-28T15:54:00.008-04:00

In celebration of New York State Court System’s annual Law Day- Bronx Community Solutions, in conjunction with Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson’s office, and the Bronx County Supreme Court, criminal division- participated in it's second Law Day event on Friday, April 30, titled “Choice & Consequences” moderated by the Bureau Chief, Joseph McCormack of the DA's office.

The event is designed to increase awareness among Bronx youth on the impact of driving while intoxicated and the many criminal offenses that follow. This event also gives youth and local law enforcement the opportunity to exchange ideas on this serious crime (Driving While Intoxicated/Driving While Under the Influence) that effects youth on an everyday basis. Nicole Keary, Assistant Bureau Chief provided a great presentation to the 60 + young High School students from the School of Law Government and Justice.

A special thanks must be given to the Honorable Efrain Alvardo, Administrative Judge for criminal matters, Steven Clark, Chief Cleark, Bronx Superme Court, Major Joe Rodgriguez, Commanding Officer, Bronx Superme Court, and Assistant Prinicple Felder, School of Law Government and Justice.

BCS Celebrates Earth Day by Impacting Communities, Not Just Removing Graffiti

2010-04-22T17:13:00.017-04:00

"I have been living here for 20 years, and I have never seen anyone cleaning this street” and ... “Wow! I thought I was on the wrong block.” Those were the sentiments of Bronx residents when they saw a team of community residents, court defendants, and community affairs officers painting over graffiti in their neighborhood.

BCS, along with the 46th precinct community affairs unit, cleared four blocks of graffiti today between 183 and 187 Street and Ryer Avenue. This project had a more lasting impact however than just newly painted buildings - it worked towards restoring faith in the criminal justice system, provided an opportunity for offenders who commit quality-of-life crimes to have a positive impact, and engaged community members to make long-lasting positive change.

The community service crew consisted of misdemeanor offenders assigned to do to community service. This innovative approach to court-ordered community service results in projects that are meaningful for both offenders and the communities they serve.

Members of the clean-up crew were also visibly pleased with the transformation of the street and the positive impact on the community. Some asked to be part of future clean up projects, for which we provided referrals. The desire and commitment to continue to work on community improvements is an excellent outcome of court ordered community service mandates, as it proves that some misdemeanor offenders would be willing to spend their time improving communities if given the opportunity.

There was the occasional “nay-sayer,” sure that the graffiti artists would be back, tagging by that evening. Bronx Community Solutions is committed to long-term improvements in communities and have engaged local community members from Community Board 5 to monitor the area and contact us if additional cleaning is necessary.

This on-going commitment was a delight to a local business owner who stated “The community needs it.”

Community Advisory Board Discusses Re-Entry Issues

2010-04-19T13:20:00.015-04:00

On Wednesday, April 14, 2010, the Community Advisory Board of Bronx Community Solutions gathered for its second meeting of the year.

The topic of discussion was health disparities in the reentry population. A presentation about services available at the Albert Einstein Transitional Health Clinic was delivered by Dr. Matt Anderson, and a lively discussion was facilitated by Pamela Valera, Ph.D., researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Outcomes of this discussion were the creation of a working group to address health disparities in the reentry population, plans to conduct a focus group with community members to explore barriers to obtaining health services, creating more meaningful collaborations with agencies and departments in the Bronx, and exploring ways to increase prevention and awareness by inviting educators to participate in the working group.

There were ten community advisory board members in attendance, representing The Simpson Street Development Association, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, the Montefiore Clinic, Osborne Association, Promesa, The Patrol Borough Bronx Community Affairs Office, Bronx Lebanon Hospital, and the FDNY.

If you or your organization would like to be part of the working group, please contact Maria Almonte-Weston, Project Director of Bronx Community Solutions, at mariaa@courts.state.ny.us.

Opening Day at Yankee Stadium

2010-04-14T15:37:00.007-04:00

From Moises Reyes, Coordinator of Community Service...

Yesterday, Bronx Community Solutions participated and supported the 161st street Business Improvement District. The Bronx Community Solutions community service crew cleaned the area around Yankee Stadium, and welcomed fans to the Bronx by handing out flyers with information about the local restaurants ,recreations, souvenirs shops, and sports bars.

The individuals who participated had fun handing out flyers to the many visitors. It was a great day overall, and Bronx Community Solutions would like to thank Mr Cary Goodman, the Executive Director of the Business Improvement District (BID) for including our organization in this endeavor.

News from the 161st Street Business Improvement District

2010-04-06T15:18:00.003-04:00

by Cary Goodman, Executive Director of the 161st Street BID

OPENING DAY

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

The season will open with the Bronx Bombers playing the Angels on Tuesday, April 13 at 1:05 PM. Bronx Community Solutions will join the BID in welcoming fans by sweeping the train stations and greeting guests with Yankee cheers.

The Bronx Museum has just opened a major exhibition on The Civil Rights Movement. Jarring photographs. Expert panel discussions. Striking images of the struggles and triumphs. The BID will be partnering with the Bronx Museum and the Negro League Baseball Museum this summer for a look at baseball and the civil rights movement.

The Joe Yancey Track at Macombs Dam Park will be dedicated on Friday, April 9 at 11:00 AM. Comm. Aponte will officiate. Expect great performances from the Cardinal Hayes HS track team and Mr. Lon’s senior fitness team.

As the walls (of the old ballpark) keep tumbling down, the two River Avenue parks are rising at 157th Street. The skate park and playground will be wonderful additions to the neighborhood. Look for late spring or early summer openings.

There will be a community meeting to discuss historic preservation of the Grand Concourse on April 20th at 7:00 PM, hosted by the Borough President at the Bronx Museum.

Safer Sex Practices and Criminal Behavior

2010-03-30T11:03:00.010-04:00

Here's an interesting article from Ms Magazine:

In the article, the investigator suggests that women stopped on the streets with an 'excess amount' of condoms on their person, are more likely to be be harrassed and/or arrested for the crime of prostitution.

According to the article, "Almost everyone interviewed for a recent Sex Workers Project survey mentioned a certain number of condoms over which they felt more concerned about increased harassment.” Cyndee Clay, the executive director of the Washington D.C.-based initiative Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive, said the issue is a "common enough practice that everyone knows about it.”

Click here to read the full article at Ms. Magazine...

The Passage of Health Care Reform: A Bronx Congressman's Reaction

2010-03-24T11:00:00.005-04:00

Congressman Eliot Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, who represents the Bronx as well as Rockland and Westchester, had a key role in ensuring this weeks historic passage of Comprehensive Health Care Reform.

After casting his YES vote, Mr. Engel stated that “Despite months of rhetoric and mistruths uttered by the opposition, and the fear and uncertainty that those words caused, the American people will receive reform which will improve lives, and more importantly, save lives. For the vast majority of Americans, no changes to their health care coverage will occur at all. Meanwhile, millions of more Americans will be able to receive basic care."

Mr. Engel, who was invited to the White House for yesterday's official signing of the bill, concluded by stating that he has "always been proud to serve as a Member of Congress...tonight, as I cast the 216th and deciding vote on the reconciliation package, is the proudest I have ever been over that span of time.”

To read Mr. Engel's full statement on the passage of Comprehensive Health Care Reform, click here...

To watch a video of Mr. Engel's floor speech, click here...

March Madness at Bronx Community Solutions

2010-03-15T12:17:00.008-04:00

From Case Manager Daren Mills...

Once again, March Madness is upon us. This is the time of the year when people go crazy for basketball. The basketball madness kicked off here in the Bronx with Round 1 of the Bronx Community Solutions Basketball League Playoffs.

In the first game, the BCS Bombers, ranked 3rd this season, took on the police officers from Patrol Borough Bronx - in what was their first meeting of the year. The officers of Patrol Borough Bronx are no strangers to the playoffs, having eliminated the Bombers in previous years. Coach Willie Bernardez, a Resource Coordinator at Bronx Community Solutions, made sure that was not the case this year.

With the adrenaline pumping and excitement in the air, the Bombers jumped out to an early lead with excellent ball movement and stellar shooting. After an early time out, Patrol Borough Bronx stopped the momentum and used their experience and size to rally back and tie the game. At the end of the first half, the Bombers were clinging to a 26-25 lead.

The second half saw a change in strategy as the Bombers made use of their youthful energy and began utilizing a full court press. The Bombers continuously drove to the basket despite the distinct height advantage of Patrol Borough Bronx. The game continued to be a back and forth battle, and Patrol Borough Bronx took a 6 point lead with 3 minutes left in the game. Given the circumstances, most teams would've started to panic, but the Bombers' experience kept them in the game. Free throws brought the Bombers to within 3-points, and a buzzer beating 3-pointer by Bomber Bobby Harris sent the game into overtime.

In overtime, tough defense took over and the game was ultimately decided at the free throw line. Led by Community Affairs Officer Eliu Feliciano, Patrol Borough Bronx took an early lead after getting to the free throw line on three straight possessions. The Bombers did not surrender, and were kept in the game with a combination of assists and free throws by Ed Johnson. Johnson's clutch free throws with seconds remaining in the game put the Bombers up for good, as Patrol Borough Bronx missed what would've been a game tying three pointer as the buzzer sounded.

The game was truly a great start to what promises to be a month of great basketball, as the Bombers continue their run for the Championship.

The State Of The Borough Address

2010-03-08T11:40:00.006-05:00

This past Friday at Evander Childs High School, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. delivered his first State of the Borough Address. As he stood before a throng of Bronx residents and those who are fighting on behalf of the borough (including Bronx Community Solutions' Project Director Maria Almonte and Community Initiatives Coordinator TK Singleton), Mr. Diaz outlined his plan for the coming year.

Mr. Diaz discussed his idea to develop a "green economy" in the Bronx - linked to the announcement of a Federal grant from the Consortium of Worker's Education that will fund the training of more than 400 Bronx residents in the field of energy efficiency. Mr. Diaz also stressed that he would work with developers to bring a real hotel to the Bronx, and spoke of the continued war on illegal handguns, while citing the recent buybacks that took place in the churches of the borough and pledging to rid the Bronx of 1,500 more guns over the next year.

At the conclusion of his speech, Mr. Diaz made a call for the residents of the borough to work together as "One Bronx." As "One Bronx," Diaz explained, the residents of the borough "have the will to stand up and fight for our neighborhoods, to ensure that we no longer receive the short end of the stick when it comes to economic development, education, and the critical funding our communities need to thrive.”

To read the Borough President's speech in full, click here...