Yesterday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to allocate $130 million to improving public health services across the city’s criminal justice system, as part of a conscious effort to “shift emphasis from punishment for minor crimes to treatment.” The Brennan Center has long supported the principle that treatment and rehabilitation programs are more effective at reducing crime and recidivism than overreliance on simple incarceration.
“This is a valuable step toward modernizing the city’s criminal justice system,” said Inimai Chettiar, director of the Brennan Center’s Justice Program. “Addressing mental health and substance abuse problems can slow mass incarceration, by improving individuals’ chances of successful re-entry into society. Research has consistently proven the goals of reducing crime and unnecessary incarceration to be complementary, and the mayor’s initiative is a move in that direction.”
For more information or to speak with a Brennan Center expert, contact Naren Daniel at (646)292–8381 or naren.daniel@nyu.edu.
Read more about the Brennan Center’s work to reduce mass incarceration.