Syracuse Common Council unanimously approves $1.5M youth diversion program
The Syracuse Common Council unanimously approved a $1.5 million youth intervention program led by Exalt. The alternative-to-incarceration initiative aims to replicate the nonprofits’s success with NYC programming. Solange Jain | Senior Staff Photographer
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The Syracuse Common Council unanimously approved a request to establish a youth intervention and alternative to incarceration program in the city during its Monday regular meeting.
The services will be provided and supervised by Exalt, a New York City-based organization that assists youth impacted by the criminal justice system. The city received $1.5 million from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services to “replicate” the Exalt programs, Janet Burke, Director of the Bureau of Research, said during a Nov. 5 study session.
Councilor-at-Large Chol Majok said he hopes Exalt will make a difference in the lives of Syracuse residents.
“My hope is that Exalt will not be just another program that the state government has given money for to a city, and it just goes with no results,” Majok said. “My hope is that the management and the supervision of this program coincide with the goals and the vision that we have for the residents in our city.”
During a Public Safety Committee Meeting on Nov. 6, Jason Alleyne, Exalt Chief Program Officer, said it operates as an “apolitical organization,” which allows it to build relationships with criminal justice officials.
Judges, attorneys, community members and advocacy groups can refer young adults to the program, after which they can decide whether to participate.
“Young people come to us, really eager to have discussions and interactions that are talking about different topics that are directly related to their lived experiences, something that they often don’t get within the public education system,” Alleyne said.
The program includes a paid internship phase for the youth admitted, funded by government agencies, nonprofits, corporations and philanthropic organizations. Alleyne told councilors Exalt has about $2.1 million in committed funds for the city.
Of the 65% of participants in New York state who’ve entered the program with open criminal cases, 75% have left with their cases reduced or dismissed, Alleyne said.
The program will begin on a smaller scale and expand following community feedback. There is currently no definitive timeline.
Other business:
- The council withheld a vote, which has been pushed back since July, on an arrangement with Axon Enterprises that would give the Syracuse Police Department access to drone technology. During a public hearing on Sept. 15, several Syracuse residents voiced concerns about misuse, privacy and militarization, as well as the risk of captured data being shared with agencies, such as the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Councilors unanimously approved the creation of a street sign in honor of the Syracuse 8, a group of Black students who were on Syracuse University’s football team. The group boycotted team activities in 1970 to demand equal and fair treatment. The sign will be installed at the intersection between Walnut Avenue and Waverly Avenue.
