Avenues for Justice’s primary objective is to halt the revolving-door cycle of incarceration and poverty for youthful offenders in New York City.
Blacks and Hispanics: Fighting the Trends
17% of NYC’s neighborhoods between 2006-2015 saw an increase of poverty rate by 10 percentage or more[6]. The fleeting opportunity for economic growth and improvement in these neighborhoods has effects on schooling, family dynamics, financial decision-making, and more. All of which increases the likelihood of incarceration.
Avenues of Challenge
Teenagers in poorer neighborhoods often see crime as a distraction for boredom, violence in the home, absence in school, financial insecurity, and other factors. Poverty, family instability, low education outcomes and expectations, and the economy of drugs all contribute to many of the challenges AFJ’s population faces.
Together, these daunting factors create an endless cycle of crime and incarceration, as U.S. prison rates continues to be higher than any other country in the world. However, as AFJ has proven for over 40 years, if you identify the root cause of crime—on an individualized basis—you can work with most youth to improve their lives and get them on a track to make better decisions in the future. All while setting them on a better path educationally and for financial security.
[1]“Focus on Poverty in New York City.” NYU Furman Center, 7 June 2017, furmancenter.org/thestoop/entry/focus-on-poverty.
[2]“Focus on Poverty in New York City.” NYU Furman Center, 7 June 2017, furmancenter.org/thestoop/entry/focus-on-poverty.
[3] New York City, Foster Care, Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Development. “2018 Monitoring and Analysis Profiles With Selected Trend Data: 2014-2018.” 2018 Monitoring and Analysis Profiles With Selected Trend Data: 2014-2018, 2019.
[4] Focus on Poverty in New York City.” NYU Furman Center, 7 June 2017, furmancenter.org/thestoop/entry/focus-on-poverty.
[5] “Youth First - End Youth Incarceration.” Youth First - End Youth Incarceration, www.nokidsinprison.org/explore/new-york/?section=cost-interactive.
[6]“Focus on Poverty in New York City.” NYU Furman Center, 7 June 2017, furmancenter.org/thestoop/entry/focus-on-poverty.
[7] “State of New York City's Housing & Neighborhoods – 2018 Report.” NYU Furman Center, 2018, furmancenter.org/research/sonychan.
[8]Banovcinova, Andrea & Levicka, Jana & Veres, Martin. (2014). The Impact of Poverty on the Family System Functioning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. 132. 148-153. 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.04.291.
[9] “Mayor De Blasio and Chancellor Carranza Announce Record High Graduation Rate.” The Official Website of the City of New York, 30 Jan. 2019, www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/064-19/mayor-de-blasio-chancellor-carranza-record-high-graduation-rate#/0.
[10] “Data Collaborative for Justice: New Study Shows NYC School Suspension Rate for Black Students Was 2.8 the Rate for White Students in 2016-17.” Arnold Foundation, 2019, www.arnoldventures.org/newsroom/john-jay-college-new-study-shows-nyc-sch....
[11] Ihlanfeldt, Keith R. “Neighborhood Drug Crime and Young Males’ Job Accessibility.” DeVoe Moore Center and Department of Economics, 2003.