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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Megan French-Marcelin, Senior Director of Policy at Legal Action Center
9:04:59
ยท
137 sec
Megan French-Marcelin, representing the New York City Alternatives to Incarceration and Reentry Coalition, testified about the importance of ATI and reentry programs in improving public safety outcomes and generating taxpayer savings. She requested restoration of $16 million in cuts and an additional $2.4 million increase from the city council to continue their work.
- The coalition serves over 30,000 NYC residents annually through holistic community-based supports for justice-involved individuals.
- ATI programs have been shown to decrease future convictions, improve employment rates, and reduce homelessness and psychiatric hospitalizations.
- Despite their effectiveness, these programs are facing significant budget cuts, threatening their ability to continue providing crucial services.
Megan French-Marcelin
9:04:59
you chairman Slam.
9:05:01
My name is Megan French Marceline.
9:05:03
I'm the senior director of policy at the Legal Action Center.
9:05:08
Today, I testify on behalf of the New York City Alternatives to Incarceration and Reentry Coalition, a network of 12 service organizations with decades of experience in providing holistic community based supports to justice involved New Yorkers.
9:05:27
Collectively, our programs serve more than 30,000 New York City residents each year.
9:05:35
The ecosystem of providers that I represent now work in front end alternatives to detention and incarceration as well as back end reentry services.
9:05:48
We have been a model nationwide for how you get to a more equitable human centered justice system, and we do this work with pennies on each dollar that the city allocates to the DOC, to the NYPD, and other law enforcement entities.
9:06:08
Decades of research demonstrate that ATI programs are more effective than incarceration at improving public safety outcomes, decreasing the chance of future convictions, improving employment rates, and generating significant savings for taxpayers.
9:06:28
Across New York City, ATI and reentry programs yield reductions in homelessness and psychiatric hospitalizations, as well as increases in health seeking behavior, relational connections, meaningful participation in the economy, as well as overall desistance from crime.
9:06:48
And yet I sit before you today representing the aforementioned ecosystem now staring down what I heard today, over $16,000,000 of cuts.
9:07:02
I will just ask that these cuts be restored, and we are asking for an increase from city council of $2,400,000 to continue this work.
9:07:13
The rest of my testimony is submitted written.