COVID-19: 4 Steps to Managing a Remote Alternative to Incarceration (ATI)
![]() 4 Steps to a Managing a Remote Alternative to Incarceration (ATI). ![]() Photo Credit: Marty Umas (@humansbyumams)
After over 40 years of success with thousands of youthful offenders and at-risk youth across NYC, Avenues for Justice (AFJ) suddenly had to shut the doors to our youth centers in Harlem and the Lower East Side and at the Criminal Courthouse, to protect against COVID-19.
These are low-income youth from NYC’s under served neighborhoods who need even more support at a time of crisis. As an Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) program, AFJ must also account for all of our justice involved participants’ activities, and ensure that they can access resources. Here are 4 steps we are taking:
Equip youth digitally: Our youth had a head start through our computer labs at our youth centers. During this crisis we've also ensured they have emails and are teaching them to use Zoom as well as assisting with program downloads for the Department of Education's homeschooling system.
Contact them every single day: AFJ uses a mix of group and one-on-one phone calls, emails, and Zoom sessions to see how our youth and their families are doing, their needs, and ensure they comply with the City’s quarantine and the Justice Department’s curfews.
Create community: Our Friday rap sessions and community meals are moving to group Zoom sessions. Coming out of this crisis, AFJ sees advantages to working remotely with high-risk youth:
Our resource sheet for your use: Avenues for Justice is continuing to add resources to our website - feel free to use and share here. ![]() AFJ took two of our participants' families grocery shopping on 3/22 to ensure they had food and supplies. Support Avenues for Justice with your online gift, and your ideas: AFJ provides critical services for NYC’s vulnerable youth no matter what the circumstances, and COVID-19 will not be an exception. Our supporters are unique in their commitment to ensuring that our youth do not slip through the cracks of the criminal justice system.
Elizabeth Frederick at efrederick@avenuesforjustice.org. |