NCJ Number
59465
Date Published
1978
Length
46 pages
Annotation
THE MONROE ALTERNATIVES PROJECT (MAP), A 2-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM OF THE JUDICIAL PROCESS COMMISSION IN ROCHESTER, N.Y., TO INCREASE ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS IMPRISONED, IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
FROM ITS INCEPTION, MAP RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATING AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICYMAKERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, PLANNERS AND RESEARCHERS, ALTERNATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITY CHANGE AGENTS OR AGENCIES. THREE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE 2-YEAR PROJECT WERE TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BY REMOVING CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PERSONAL BEHAVIOR FROM THE NEW YORK STATE CRIMINAL LAW, TO ORGANIZE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE ADOPTION AND EXPANSION OF JAIL ALTERNATIVES THAT REDUCE RELIANCE ON ADVERSARIAL PROCEEDINGS AND DECREASE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS HELD IN THE MONROE COUNTY JAIL, AND TO INITIATE COMMUNITY PRESSURE FOR ELIMINATING 30 PERCENT OF THE CELL SPACE AND A CONCOMITANT SHIFT OF PERSONNEL AND FUNCTION IN THE JAIL TO COMMUNITY SERVICES. STRATEGY AREAS OF THE MAP INVOLVED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADVISORY PANEL FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ALTERNATIVES, PROSTITUTION, PUBLIC INTOXICATION, MARIJUANA, APPEARANCE TICKETS, PRETRIAL RELEASE, MEDIATION, FAMILY CRISIS INTERVENTION, CRISIS HOUSING, PROBATION, RESTITUTION, HALFWAY HOUSES, WORK RELEASE, AND REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF WOMEN INMATES. WHILE THE LEVEL OF INCARCERATION AT THE JAIL HAS DECREASED ONLY SLIGHTLY AS A RESULT OF MAP, AN EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO SET THE STAGE FOR FURTHER REDUCTIONS IN THE JAIL POPULATION. PLANS CALL FOR MONITORING ALTERNATIVES ALREADY IN PLACE, SEEING PROJECTS THROUGH TO THE END, WORKING MORE CLOSELY AND CONSCIOUSLY WITH JUDICIAL ATTITUDES AND PROCEDURES, FOCUSING MORE ATTENTION ON PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD INCARCERATION, ADVOCATING COORDINATED SYSTEMS OF PLANNING AND EVALUATION FOR ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION DEVELOPED IN MONROE COUNTY, AND DELINEATING CONVERSION PLANS AND DOLLAR TRANSFERS FROM CORRECTIONS TO COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEMS. AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART OF THE PROJECT AND DATA ON THE COST OF PROJECT OPERATION ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)