• Hold court-involved individuals accountable through close cooperation with judges, district attorneys, the Department of Probation, the Division of Parole, the Department of Correction, the Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator, and other criminal justice stakeholders
• Provide court-involved individuals with the resources they need to achieve positive and lasting change
• Innovate new programs and initiatives that are responsive to the needs of court-involved individuals and government stakeholders
• Study and work to increase the effectiveness of community sanctions

Our Approach

New York City's courts are the front door to CASES programs. Our legal staff maintains a presence in courtrooms citywide. We work with judges, district attorneys, defense lawyers, legal advocates, the NYC Department of Probation and the NYS Division of Parole to identify individuals appropriate for our programs and we advocate for their supervision by CASES. CASES court representatives report frequently to judges and other criminal justice stakeholders on our participants' progress towards the fulfillment of their legal obligations.

By addressing factors such as lack of education, unemployment, homelessness, substance abuse, and untreated mental health disorders, CASES' innovative programs help court-involved youth and adults re-integrate into society, thereby making our communities safer and saving taxpayer dollars.

Core Principles

Eligibility: Court representatives review court calendars and case files to identify individuals meeting eligibility criteria for participation in CASES programs.

Suitability: We meet with prospective clients and their families to assess their commitment to the program and determine whether there are other circumstances that might interfere with their participation. The interview process is thorough and extensive - we often meet multiple times before a determination is made.

Accountability: CASES regularly submits comprehensive reports on participants' progress for review by the sentencing judge and others. Between court appearances, CASES' court representatives maintain close communication with judges, attorneys, and other stakeholders.