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 Accomplishments

Since 1981 CCA has worked successfully to reduce reliance on incarceration, to demonstrate the role of communities in building innovative solutions for justice and to advocate for more responsive juvenile and criminal justice policies. On this page are some key successes of CCA's staff, clients, and community members.

Justice Strategies

  • CCA establishes Justice Strategies in 2000.
  • In 2006, the New York State Legislature amended the penal code to include “reentry and reintegration” as a goal of sentencing.The new amendment was crafted by CCA Co-Director of Justice Strategies Alan Rosenthal, as part of his work with ICARE, a coalition of agencies committed to social justice, including our colleagues at Reentry Net.
  • In 2006, CCA/Justice Strategies received two Public Interest Program grants.  One supported research and advocacy to overcome barriers to education, employment, enfranchisement and equality for persons with criminal records.  The Legal Action Center National H.I.R.E. Network worked with CCA on this grant.  The other grant made possible a collaborative exploration by CCA and colleague organizations on the use of international human rights principles to advance juvenile justice reform in the U.S.
  • "Your report on Racial Disparities in the local criminal justice system performed an invaluable service. Justice Strategies has helped to prepare our organization to face the issues that we must address in the coming years for a safer, healthier community, and that will be less reliant on incarceration."
    — Preston B. Fagan, President, Syracuse/Onondaga County NAACP.
  • 2002 Justice Strategies director, Alan Rosenthal receives the Kharas Award for Distinguished Service in Civil Liberties from the NY Civil Liberties Union.
  • 2002 Justice Strategies organizes the first Central New York Practice-to-Research Network Conference.
  • 2001 Justice Strategies issues its first study of racism in a local criminal justice system that spurs community activism and legislative and policy responses.

Youth Services

  • In February 2008, four CCA youth traveled to Geneva, Switzerland to participate in hearings on race and human rights before a U.N. committee.  The youth testified about their personal experiences with the U.S. school system as well as the juvenile justice system. Their trip was part of a collaboration between CCA, the Haywood Burns Institute in San Francisco, and the Justice Policy Institute in Washington D.C., supported by the Human Rights Fund.  Global Rights, an international human rights organization, joined with CCA to support the visit.  The impact made by the youth was reflected in the Concluding Observations issued by the U.N. Committee, which charged the U.S. to do more to remedy the effects of racial discrimination in the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
  • In 2007, youth programs in NYC were expanded to include after-school tutoring.
  • In 2007-8, a pilot alternative-to-detention program was begun for youth ages 12-15 referred by Brooklyn Family Court.   The success of the program led to a City-wide initiative now operating in all five boroughs, with CCA providing services to all youth in the borough of Brooklyn. 
  • Young people volunteer more than 4,000 hours of community service.
  • CCA's Youth Advocacy Project is the subject of a CBS Special "Young Justice".
  • CCA pioneers school-based services for children of incarcerated parents in 1994; a U.S. Department of Justice study of the problem is released in 2001.
  • The percentage of youth who have returned to court for rearrest is typically less than 10 percent per year.
  • For youth who participate in CCA's Strategies for Success program, resuspension rates drop by nearly 50% and their ability to manage anger and avoid fights improve by over 40%.
  • In 1985 CCA establishes the first Client Specific Planning program for juveniles in Family Court.
  • In 1989 CCA starts New York's first program for juveniles charged as adults.

Court Services

  • With the enactment of restrictive federal sentencing guidelines in 1987, CCA expands its work in Federal Courts advocating for downward departures.
  • Client Specific Planning clients donate thousands of hours of community service through work in AIDS hospices, senior citizen center, homeless shelters, meals-on-wheels and other human service and community agency.
  • Over 80 percent of CCA's clients successfully complete their alternative sentences and move on to law-abiding, productive lives.
  • In 1995 New York State enacts the death penalty; CCA expands death penalty mitigation.
  • In 2000 the National Association of Sentencing Advocates give its Award For Outstanding Service and Organizational Contribution to CCA.
  • Court Appointed Special Advocates gives first National Diversity Award to CCA in 2003.

Health and HIV/AIDS

  • In 1994 CCA pioneers comprehensive HIV/AIDS services in prisons across the state.
  • CCA educates thousands of people in prisons and jails each year through its HIV/AIDS prevention programs.
  • CCA trains thousands of peer educators each year.
  • CCA leads support groups for people incarcerated in 7 NYS correctional facilities.
  • CCA develops a special component for women based on research and agency experience.

Women and Girls

  • CCA's Crossroads is found to have the highest retention rates overall and the highest reduction in post-program criminal activities by an independent study of women's programs.
  • U.S. Department of Justice selected CCA to train judges and drug courts around the U.S. on the special needs of women.
  • Each year roughly 50 women and girls gain leadership skills and opportunities through CCA's programs.
  • In 1991 CCA founded the first gender-specific alternative to incarceration drug treatment program for women in NYS.

Drug Treatment

  • National Institute of Justice study cites Crossroads as a national model.
  • CCA developed the design for the Syracuse Drug Treatment Court.
  • CCA's Drug Treatment programs serve more than 300 people per year.
  • Syracuse Recovery Community was but one of two recovery communities in the country organized by former prisoners. In 2006, CCA expanded its Recovery Network of New York to serve Rochester and Albany.
  • Recovery Network members "give back" by working in reentry programs mentoring young people returning home.

Community Connections

  • CCA pioneers mentoring programs for court involved young people in 1986.
  • Over 5,000 of hours of community service per year.
  • More than 500 community members volunteer in CCA programs each year.
  • Over 350 clients pursue further education to achieve their employment goals.
  • CCA's youth mentoring programs match and support mentors for children of incarcerated parents and students in the Syracuse City School District's alternative schools and programs.
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