What's happening
This bill creates the New York State Justice Reinvestment Fund and Program to support community-based services for reducing recidivism and aiding offender re-entry.
Why it matters
Targets communities most affected by incarceration. The bill directs resources specifically to neighborhoods with higher concentrations of offenders and ex-offenders, aiming to address systemic disparities and disrupt cycles of incarceration where they are most entrenched.
Supports evidence-based community interventions. By funding not-for-profits and faith-based organizations that provide re-entry support, alternatives to incarceration, and family programs, the bill encourages solutions shown to lower recidivism rather than relying solely on punitive measures.
Promotes collaboration between justice system and local organizations. The program requires partnerships across criminal justice agencies, courts, and community groups, fostering a more holistic, community-driven approach to public safety and offender rehabilitation.
Requires accountability and strategic planning. Qualified entities must submit a strategic plan detailing how their programs will reduce crime and recidivism, and the commissioner is mandated to set rules and monitor results, adding a layer of oversight to ensure funds are used effectively.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fund Community Justice Programs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Fund Community Justice Programs
In Assembly Committee · Correction · Sponsor Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3741
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 26, 2017
Introduced by Sens. MONTGOMERY, DIAZ, DILAN, PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the state finance law and the executive law, in relation to establishing the New York state justice reinvestment fund and the New York state justice reinvestment program; and making an appropriation therefor
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-gg to read as follows:
§ 99-gg. New York state justice reinvestment fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services an account to be known as the New York state justice reinvestment fund.
2. Such fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated for the purpose of such fund, all other moneys credited or transferred to such fund pursuant to law, all moneys required by the provisions of this section or any other law to be paid into or credited to such fund, and all moneys received by the fund or donated to it.
3. Moneys of such fund shall be available for appropriation and allocation to the division of criminal justice services for purposes of distributing such moneys to qualified entities of the New York state justice reinvestment program pursuant to section eight hundred fortyfour-c of the executive law.
4. Moneys shall be paid out on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of criminal justice services.
§ 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 844-c to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03606-01-7
S. 3741 2
§ 844-c. New York state justice reinvestment program. 1. Creation and purposes. The commissioner shall establish within the division a New York state justice reinvestment program. The purpose of the program is to have state and local criminal justice agencies, and as part of a larger effort including courts, district attorneys and criminal defense offices, to work in partnership with not-for-profit organizations and faith-based organizations in the community on issues such as inmate re-entry into the community, incarceration alternatives, family support programs for offenders and ex-offenders, as well as other issues related to improving the role of the criminal justice system in our communities.
2. Qualified entity. (a) A qualified entity shall be either a not-forprofit organization or faith-based organization providing one or more of the following services:
(i) re-entry support for inmates returning to the community, including, but not limited to job development and housing assistance;
(ii) incarceration alternatives, including, but not limited to community service programs, community youth court, alternative high schools, service-enriched supportive housing and community based drug treatment programs;
(iii) family support, including, but not limited to fatherhood/parenting programs, for offenders and ex-offenders; and
(iv) community based collaborative programs with criminal justice agencies.
(b) A qualified entity shall be located in communities which have a higher than normal concentration of offenders and ex-offenders, as determined by the commissioner.
(c) A qualified entity's services shall have a primary emphasis on communities which have a higher than normal concentration of offenders and ex-offenders, as determined by the commissioner.
(d) A qualified entity shall submit a strategic plan to the commissioner detailing how the applicant's program will reduce crime and recidivism in communities with a higher than normal concentration of offenders and ex-offenders, as determined by the commissioner.
3. Application. Any qualified entity seeking funds from the division shall file an application, as determined by the commissioner. All funds authorized pursuant to this subdivision shall be paid from the New York state justice reinvestment fund in accordance with section ninety-ninegg of the state finance law.
4. Responsibilities of the commissioner. (a) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for the application of grant money from the New York state justice reinvestment fund.
(b) The commissioner shall designate qualified entities based on the application criteria established by this section and additional criteria as determined by the commissioner.
§ 3. The sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the New York state justice reinvestment fund from the general fund, for administration of grants to qualified entities selected by the division of criminal justice services.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the state finance law and the executive law, in relation to establishing the New York state justice reinvestment fund and the New York state justice reinvestment program; and making an appropriation therefor
Purpose
To establish a program and funding for not-for-profit agencies and faith based organizations to coordinate with state and local criminal justice agencies and community and family support programs to enhance reentry support for prisoners returning to affected communities.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the state finance law by adding a new section 99-w to establish a justice reinvestment fund in joint custody of the state comptroller and the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services. Provides for the distribution of such appropriated funds to qualified entities.
Section 2 amends the executive law by adding a new section 844-c to create a New York State Justice Reinvestment Program under the Commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services. It provides that such program shall coordinate the efforts of state and local criminal justice agencies with those of not-for-profit and faith based organizations and family support programs to facilitate the reentry of inmates to communities. It further defines the duties and responsibilities of the Commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services and qualified entities.
Section 3 appropriates the sum of ten million dollars to the New York State Justice Reinvestment Fund.
Justification
Criminal justice experts increasingly recognize the critical roles that community organizations, criminal justice agencies, families and family support agencies play in re-entry support for returning prisoners, alternatives to incarceration and recidivism. Escalating funding for the correctional system and incarceration may have a positive economic impact on those communities in which the facilities are located but little or no impact on crime and recidivism. This initiative is an inducement for state and local criminal justice agencies, courts, district attorneys, criminal defense offices, community and faith based organizations, families and family support agencies in communities where offenders and ex-offenders are concentrated to combine their efforts to reduce crime and recidivism.
Legislative history
2009-2010:S.1265- Died in Committee 2007-2008:S.2018- Died in Committee 2005-2006:S.1063- Died in Committee 2004-2005:S.6516- Died in Committee 2011-2012:S.104- Died in Committee 2013-2014:S.1323- Died in Committee
Fiscal implications
$10 million
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.