For the Media

Crisis Management, Violence Interrupter Program Leaders Honored by de Blasio for Efforts to Keep Peace in NYC

amNY

Save Our Streets received recognition from Bill de Blasio and his son for our efforts to keep the peace without requiring police intervention. “Too often you have been unsung heroes, today we are singing your praises,” said Mayor de Blasio as he presented the proclamation documents. “You are doing sacred work, and it is making a huge difference.”

Bronx Nonprofit Holds Winter Wonderland Event to Give Back to Community

Bronx News12

Bronx News12 profiles the winter wonderland extravaganza that Save Our Streets recently held at its offices in Morrisania. Bronx Community Justice Center project director, Carmen J. Hernandez, is interviewed and explains the impact and history of the program as well as the plans to expand services throughout the borough.

Funding and a New Partnership Working to Address Why Families Aren’t Testing Homes, Children for Lead

LocalSYR.com

This article details the Central New York Community Foundation's outreach efforts to help homeowners make their homes safer and protect children from lead paint that could be present in homes built before the paint was outlawed in 1978. The foundation is providing a $40,000 grant to fund a partnership between the Center for Court Innovation and Planned Parenthood of Western & Central New York to host dinner and ‘Kitchen Table Talks’ with neighbors to provide them with information and the tools they need to keep their communities safe from lead.

Mayor: Gun Violence Remains Challenge in the Bronx

Bronx News12

Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed gun violence numbers across the city and says while many areas are improving, the Bronx still faces challenges in the community. Bronx News12 profiled Save Our Streets and interviewed Marisol Rivera about how the team is working tirelessly to help stop gun violence in the borough.

Crisis At Rikers: How Case Delays are Locking Up More and More People for Years Without Trial

Gothamist

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York City’s court system has seen a backlog of cases, nearly 52,000 criminal cases were pending as of November 2021. The article cites our report on closing Rikers Island that found that improvements to the court backlog and case processing times could lower the city jail population by more than 1,000 people.

Small Chats Around Kitchen Tables Focus on Lead Poisoning in High-Risk Syracuse Neighborhoods

Syracuse.com

This article details the Center for Court Innovation and Planned Parenthood's outreach efforts to host dinner and ‘Kitchen Table Talks’ with neighbors to provide them with information and the tools they need to keep their communities safe from lead. The Central New York Community Foundation has provided a $40,000 grant to fund a partnership between the two organizations in Western Upstate NY to help protect families and children from lead paint that could be present in homes built before the paint was outlawed in 1978.

Governor Hochul Announces State has Provided $30 Million in Grants to Fight Gun Violence Over Last Three Months

Governor.NY.gov

In this official announcement from Governor Kathy Hochul's office, the Center for Court Innovation, RISE Project (Brooklyn), Save Our Streets (The Bronx), Neighborhood Safety Initiatives (Harlem), and others were named as recipients of a grant designed to fund new outreach workers, violence interrupters, and social workers across New York in communities experiencing increases in gun-related violence over the last year.

The NYPD has Recovered More “Ghost Guns” in 2021 than Any Previous Year

Gothamist

Ghost guns have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially in jurisdictions where gun control regulations make it difficult for ordinary residents to obtain guns legally. Giving insight into why some New Yorkers feel the need to own a gun, the article links to and summarizes our report 'Gotta Make Your Own Heaven': Guns, Safety, and the Edge of Adulthood in New York City, where more than 300 young people from New York City neighborhoods suffering from high gun violence were surveyed. The result? More than 80% said that they’d personally been shot at and reported having carried a gun at some point in time, and many felt they lacked any other protection.

A Test of What Society Considers Morally Unacceptable

The New York Times

Written by Judge Jonathan Lippmann, this opinion piece details some of the crises happening on Rikers Island and practical steps that could be taken to address them. With links to our Bail Reform at One Year report & our Closing Rikers Roadmap, the recommendations outlined would not only advance safety, fairness, and justice, but also reduce the jail population by at least 2,000 people.

The Complex Dynamic Between ‘Violence Interrupters’ and Police

TIME Magazine

Josiah Bates of TIME Magazine gives a window into the day-in-the-life of a violence interrupter while spending time with the Center for Court Innovation's Save Our Streets (S.O.S.) teams. Noting the complicated dynamics that are at play in their interactions with both the police and the communities they serve, Rahson Johnson, associate director of community safety at S.O.S. Crown Heights, and Joshua Simon, a violence interrupter with S.O.S. Bed-Stuy, are interviewed and reflect on how to bring resources to help heal the community.

Community Groups Help Teens Live Out Their Dreams As Part Of NYCHA Mentoring Program

Pix11

Monica Morales profiles how teens at the Ingersoll Houses are now giving back and saying "thank you" to the community groups and leaders that helped them with mentorship, programming, and business development. "Gifts from Within" is the name of this initiative that recognized both the Business Playbook and the Mayor's Action Plan for their work through a colorful mural painted by the local teens.

What Responsibility do Courts Bear for the Crisis at Rikers Island?

The New Yorker

Eric Lach for the New Yorker spends time in the courtroom at arraignment to understand some of the factors fueling the current crisis on Rikers Island. The article cites our research that identified a 2020 spike in judges setting bail and explores the alternatives that judges have to bail--like someone being released on their own recognizance or supervised release.

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