Swift Assessment: Upon arrest, juveniles appear at the Justice Center to meet with probation officers to determine if they are eligible to participate in the Juvenile Intervention Court. If a young person is eligible, the Court undertakes a more complete assessment, which determines the nature of the youth's drug/alcohol use, school problems, peer and community influences and family situation.



Hon. Judith S. Kaye and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomburg

Access to Services: Every participant receives a case management plan, which addresses the needs of both the youth and family and will link them to needed services. Participants and parents execute formal contracts with the Court. A typical contract might include drug treatment for juveniles and parents, a referral to job training for parents and the requirement that juveniles attend school regularly.

Accountability: To teach accountability, the Intervention Court uses graduated sanctions in response to misconduct and non-compliance. Sanctions include increased court appearances, earlier curfew checks, letters of apology and essays. The Court also offers incentives to encourage compliance and to acknowledge achievements. Incentives might include tickets to cultural events, courtroom applause and a graduation ceremony. The judge plays a critical role as juveniles and their parents appear regularly to report on their progress in meeting the Court's mandates. Using a web-based case-management application, the judge is able to review comments and updates from all relevant players in the case: Board of Education, probation officer, service providers, and case managers.