Vera Institute of Justice

Overview

In this report on New York City's Family Assessment Program, Vera’s investigation reveals that the city is already reaping significant benefits in less than three years since the program was implemented: families are receiving assistance more immediately; probation intakes have dropped by more than 80 percent; court referrals are down by more than half as youth are being informally connected to services without the need for a family court order; and out-of-home remands and placements for youth who are status offenders (called Persons in Need of Supervision, or PINS, in New York)—the most expensive and often least effective service option—have been reduced by more than 20 percent. And all of this has occurred while the number of youth eligible for PINS services has increased.