Q&A
Discussion on cuts to criminal justice programs
6:04:45
·
81 sec
Council Member Yusef Salaam questions OMB Director Jacques Jiha about cuts to criminal justice programs, including reentry services, supervised release, and alternatives to incarceration. Jiha explains that savings often come from underspending and low utilization of programs, not necessarily from reducing services.
- Salaam asks about $40 million in PEGs to various criminal justice programs
- He questions the administration's commitment to upstream solutions while reducing funding
- Jiha emphasizes that the mayor values investing in upstream solutions and that savings often come from underspending or low utilization
Yusef Salaam
6:04:45
So I'm gonna start with cuts to criminal justice programs.
6:04:50
The November preliminary plans included approximately 40,000,000 in PEGs to reentry services, supervised release alternatives to incarceration, crime victim services, and other OTPS program programmatic funding.
6:05:07
Can you clarify why the administration took baseline reductions to to programs that are key components of reducing the jail population and that provide alternatives to prosecutors and judges?
6:05:20
Also, how does the administration reconcile this stated position of prioritizing upstream solutions while simultaneously reducing programs that provide those same solutions?
6:05:33
And in the case of supervised release, the adopted budget included a new investment of $38,000,000 only for this to be reduced by $13,000,000 in the in the November plan.
6:05:46
How do you explain this change to such an important program?
6:05:50
Do you believe the mach j is effectively managing the city's criminal justice program programming array?
6:05:58
And are there any concerns you have with the office's capacity to budget, supervise, and manage such significant funding.
