I would like to commend Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman for acknowledging and spearheading an approach to fix our broken juvenile justice system by proposing a bill that would transfer from the executive branch to the judiciary the regulation of probation services in family courts throughout the state, (“Court System Submits Bill to Assume Oversight of Juvenile Probation,” NYLJ, March 17). Judge Lippman also said the court would institute two pilot programs for juveniles who have cases pending in Family Court: a community-based mental health treatment initiative in Queens and a center in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn providing educational, health and social support services.
While the judge’s community based initiatives are a major step forward, his proposal raises some concerns. Placing the oversight burden on an already overtaxed and underpaid judiciary that has not received a raise since January 1999 and that is forced to adhere to time limitations would not rectify the harms that take place in juvenile jails. However, it is encouraging that both the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the Legislature have joined Judge Lippman in his quest to create community-based alternatives to juvenile jails.
