I joined the Greenburger Center for Social and Criminal Justice this week for the groundbreaking of Hope House, a residential alternative to incarceration that will provide transformative care to offenders suffering from serious mental illness.
There are times when the best course of action is to assess a defendant’s mental health and provide them the help they need to be a contributing member of society, rather than a potential threat to their community continuously cycling in and out of the criminal justice system.
That is why I created the Rehabilitation Programs and Restorative Services Bureau in my office and why we collaborate with each of the specialized court parts to serve those with a mental illness or a substance misuse or co-occurring disorder.
Hope House will offer life-changing programming to eligible men and women in the five boroughs who made serious mistakes, providing them with the help they need in a residential setting with round-the-clock services and on-site security.
Our expectation is that Hope House will serve as a model for future programs and facilities intended to perform critical, interrelated public health and public safety functions.
My top priority will always be keeping you and your loved ones safe.
In Friendship,
Melinda Katz
Queens District Attorney
