On Friday, September 18, New Rochelle’s Opportunity Youth Part (OYP) held its 4th Annual Summit at City Hall. 

OYP is a  groundbreaking court initiative launched in October 2020 by Judge Jared Rice of the New Rochelle City Court, 9th Judicial District. This innovative and transformative project provides justice-involved Emerging Adults (ages 16–24) with a meaningful second chance at success. 

Approximately 125 individuals have so far engaged with the program, the first Emerging Adult Justice initiative in the 9th Judicial District and a model for other communities.

Judge Jared Rice at the 4th annual OYP Summit

Building on the science of youth brain development, OYP seeks to connect youth to employment opportunities  through a coordinated set of initiatives.  For example,  the Youth Justice Equity Team (YJET) of New Rochelle, created in June 2022, brings together  stakeholders from local agencies engaged in juvenile justice and youth services to reduce youth involvement in the criminal and family legal systems through education, training, and community support.  More recently, the City of New Rochelle authorized the City Manager to negotiate and execute a lease of the approximately 8,000 square feet of community space at 11 Garden Street with the Center for Justice Innovation (CJI). 

Building on these important and ground-breaking initiatives, the City Council voted last February to establish the Youth Justice Advisory Committee (YJAC),  a permanent committee dedicated to advocating for youth justice initiatives in New Rochelle. With both youth and adult stakeholders, YJAC focuses on advancing the City’s role in providing support, resources, and policy solutions that impact youth justice. The success of these initiatives is found in the statistics as well as in the stories of the individuals who have graduated from these programs. 

The theme of this year’s summit was Community Justice.  The keynote was delivered by Courtney Bryan, the CEO of the Center for Justice Innovation (CJI), one of the lead partners in creating the ecosystem supporting OYP. Bryan spoke about CJI’s founding in the 1990’s in NYC and how it works with both the courts and communities to foster communication, understanding, and trust. 

Following the keynote, participants heard from a Youth Justice Ecosystem Panel Discussion, featuring New Rochelle Police Commissioner Neil Reynolds, New Rochelle My Brother’s Keeper Chair, Nate Adams, Amanda Nathan, Project Director of the New Rochelle Community Justice Center, and Otoniel Lopez of Aperio NY, a research and consulting organization.

In the afternoon, attendees were able to choose from one of three breakout sessions: Police and Community Together: NRPD Pact Unit; Trusted Voices, Safer Communities: The Power of Credible Messengers; and Youth Voices: OYP Graduates Share Their Experiences.

The Summit concluded with a special fireside chat featuring Judge Rice and Cornell University Professor Joseph Margulies, author of the newly released book, “Cast Out: A Call for a Forgiving Society in an Age of Incarceration.”  All Summit attendees received a complimentary copy of the book.

The summit successfully illustrated the interweaving of the various systems of justice and stakeholders in creating a community ecosystem that emphasizes both prevention and restorative practices.

As with prior OYP Summits, the community was invited to find ways to become involved and help fill the gaps in the safety net for our young people.  For more information, including how to become involved, contact Colleen Gardephe at cgardephe@innovatingjustice.org.