NYC Department of Juvenile Justice announces Release-to-Parent initiative

On November 1, 2007, the NYC Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) announced a plan to release certain youth admitted to DJJ to parental custody following arrest and police admission. According to advocates, DJJ has always had the prerogative to release police admits from their custody, but in the past had not exercised that option. The Release-to-Parent initiative is potentially significant as police admits currently account for nearly two-thirds of detention admissions. The announcement was made at a forum for faith and community leaders convened by Rev. Alfonso Wyatt at the Crossroads Juvenile Detention Center in Brooklyn.