Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco and members of the Sheriff’s Youth Reentry Task Force received a Proclamation signed by all eighteen County Legislators at their General Legislative Meeting in Smithtown on July 29, 2014. The group was honored for their contributions to the Youth Tier and Youth Reentry Task Force Initiative. Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory presented the proclamation to Sheriff DeMarco.
The Youth Tier and Sheriff’s Youth Reentry Task Force Initiative were launched by DeMarco in September 2011 to improve outcomes for incarcerated youth in the county jails. Members of the Task Force include Correction Officers, the non-profit community, educators and county employees who work collaboratively to prevent youth from committing future crimes by addressing the root causes of criminal behavior.
DeMarco praised the Task Force and the Legislators for their commitment to reducing recidivism among young people cycling through the jail. “We’ve proven that by working together we can get results without expending additional county funds, and by doing correctional work as it was always intended, we can change these kids’ lives,” stated DeMarco.
He also credited the courts, in particular, Judge Fernando Camacho, for helping to find effective alternatives to incarceration for youthful offenders. “I share Judge Camacho’s viewpoint that we can’t keep locking up these 16 year old kids in adult jails and prisons and expect their behavior to change. He added, “I’m grateful to all of our community partners, volunteers and elected officials for their dedication.”
About Sheriff DeMarco and the Youth Reentry Task Force: Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent F. DeMarco has been at the forefront of a national trend towards developing effective inmate rehabilitation programs and coordinating community-based services for individuals reentering our communities after spending time in jail. Due in part to these efforts, there has been a significant decrease in the county jail population since he first took office. In 2005, the daily jail population averaged close to 2000 inmates, and now that figure is less than 1400.
In 2011, Sheriff DeMarco launched the Youth Tier and Youth Reentry Task Force Initiative to improve outcomes for incarcerated youth in the county jails, and the award-winning program has become a national model in the field of corrections. The Sheriff’s Youth Reentry Task Force, which has grown to more than 40 members from the fields of mental health, education, government and corrections, has played an integral role in the program’s success.
Source: Press release issued by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, July 30.
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