Thanks to the support of The van Ameringen Foundation, CASES will offer a new program in the New York County Criminal Court on July 1, 2012: The Criminal Court Diversion Program for Women. Modeled after CASES’ Transitional Case Management program (TCM), the Criminal Court Diversion Program for Women will provide an alternative sentencing option for women convicted of misdemeanors at risk of jail sentences. Through gender responsive assessment, case management, peer mentoring, and treatment and referral services, this pilot program will target the specific needs of the female justice-involved population while providing significant savings on the cost of repeated, short-term jail sentences. The women will be connected to services and support networks to establish crime-free lives in their local communities.

The van Ameringen Foundation’s support will play a significant role in introducing a gender-responsive program into the New York Criminal Court, an important step towards reducing the financial burden of short-term jail sentences on the justice system.