BCS on the Beat with 42nd Precinct
Bronx Community Solutions continued our growing collaboration with the 42nd precinct last Thursday as two of our clinical staff members, Shlomit Levy (Clinical Coordinator) and Magaly Melendez (Safety & Empowerment Counselor) took to the streets with NYPD to conduct outreach in areas with high prostitution rates. Outreach was a huge success as BCS staff spoke at the opening roll call meeting, rode along with officers and engaged with a total of 7 women to provide care packages and information about Bronx Community Solutions' voluntary services.
How we're Changing the Court:
Bronx Community Solutions and The Center for Court Innovation are among a group of justice practicioners increasingly recognizing that prostitution is often a form of human trafficking. In response, new approaches have developed--rather than fines and jail time--to address the complex and overlapping problems, including violence, fear, trauma, abuse and drug addiction, that keep many prostituted women, men and children in "the life" of prostitution.
Police officers too have began recognizing the deeper needs of the residents they serve who are "in the life" and understand that collaborating with organizations like BCS will best address these needs. Since beginning our collaboration with NYPD, Bronx Community Solutions has been able to provide both immediate (water, food, condoms) and long-term (counseling, warrant vacation, employment services) assistance to men and women "in the life", with the hopes that their needs will be addressed without involvement in the criminal justice system. You can read more about our human trafficking initiatives here: http://www.courtinnovation.org/topic/human-trafficking
How we're Changing the Court:
Bronx Community Solutions and The Center for Court Innovation are among a group of justice practicioners increasingly recognizing that prostitution is often a form of human trafficking. In response, new approaches have developed--rather than fines and jail time--to address the complex and overlapping problems, including violence, fear, trauma, abuse and drug addiction, that keep many prostituted women, men and children in "the life" of prostitution.
Police officers too have began recognizing the deeper needs of the residents they serve who are "in the life" and understand that collaborating with organizations like BCS will best address these needs. Since beginning our collaboration with NYPD, Bronx Community Solutions has been able to provide both immediate (water, food, condoms) and long-term (counseling, warrant vacation, employment services) assistance to men and women "in the life", with the hopes that their needs will be addressed without involvement in the criminal justice system. You can read more about our human trafficking initiatives here: http://www.courtinnovation.org/topic/human-trafficking
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| Magaly Melendez and Shlomit Levy present at the 42nd precinct's "roll call" |
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| BCS staff conduct outreach to Bronx residents |
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