The Center for Community Justice

The alternative to incarceration programs consist of Community service, restitution, reentry program, and The Community accountability board(cab). This range of services is designed to hold offenders accountable for their actions while also easing The burden on overcrowded jails and local courts and provides caring support designed to avoid incarceration. The Community service and resolution programs promote social responsibility of offenders who repay The Community through service to approved government or nonprofit organizations. The reentry program increases public safety by implementing nationally recognized evidence based practices to coordinate The reentry of individuals who are returning from state prison to schenectady county. The cab is made up of trained Community volunteers who develop accountability strategies for offenders to repair The harm to victims and The Community, including Community service and restitution.

The court appointed special advocates program (casa)works with children and families to ensure positive outcomes. Criminal behavior affects The entire Community and there are few individuals more vulnerable than The children of victims and offenders. The casa program gives abused and neglected children in schenectady, albany and rensselaer counties a "voice in court" specifically trained volunteer advocates work with The family court system to protect The best interests of The children, and help children achieve permanent and safe homes as quickly as possible.

THE LEGAL HAND PROGRAM IS A call-in center (Legal Hand) serving Schenectady and Albany Counties provides free legal information and referrals for civil legal issues to everyone, with no barriers of any kind to receiving service.