Youth Court, a program that was started in the 1990s by then-U.S. Attorney Janet Reno, got a boost in Jersey City this week when the City Council awarded a contract to a firm to help train the participants. Ironically, Reno, the first female U.S. attorney general, passed away on Nov. 6 at age 78 from complications due to Parkinson’s Disease.
“This is really a tribute to her,” said Deputy Mayor Vivian Brady-Phillips.
The Jersey City Youth Court (JCYC) program is an innovative, peer-based model that will train youths to hear low-level, real-life cases involving their peers in the hope it will prevent their getting involved in the criminal justice system.
Jersey City thus becomes the second city in the state to launch a youth court program and joins more than 1,150 youth courts operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia. The $32,000 contract to The Center for County Innovation the council approved would provide technical support and assistance
“Youth Court must follow certain procedures,” Brady-Phillips said. “This group is nationally known.” It will provide training and all of the materials, working with legal officials, judges, with state official administration of courts. Over the year the firm will help with the evaluation.
This appears to be a one time cost and the youth court will be up and running within a year. The company will help over the year with the evaluation.
“This is a small investment that will help our youth,” said Council President Rolando Lavarro
Councilman Michael Yun called it “a great program.”
The idea behind Jersey City’s youth court program is to use positive peer mentoring to ensure that young people who have committed minor offenses learn accountability and repair the harm caused by their actions. The program will provide afterschool employment opportunities and training for youth to serve as jurors, judges and advocates.
Brady said the program has already received 200 applications from which 40 kids from 13 to 17 will be trained to serve as actual members of the court, including advocates, judges, and jurors.
The applications, she said, came from public and charter schools.
The Youth Court is expected to handle about 50 cases the first year. The city is currently working with the Prosecutor’s Office, the Municipal Court, the Police Department and the Board of Education to determine the type of matters that will be heard.
She said a Youth Court in Newark has a compliance rate of 90 percent, with defendants accepting the sanctions issued by the court.
“The young people are currently in training with the director of the program, and there are two judges spending time with them,” she said. “We expect to have a formal ceremony.”
Exchange Place SID debated
Last month, the Exchange Place Alliance Advisory Board unveiled plans for the formation of a Special Improvement District (SID) on the Jersey City Waterfront. Although Councilman Yun said at the Nov. 9 council meeting that a new Special Improvement District for the area of Exchange Place is a great idea, he said he had concerns about introducing an ordinance that did not lay out the funding mechanism first.
While the council introduced the ordinance at the meeting, Councilwoman Candice Osborne asked that the final vote be delayed until December. City officials have met with most of the individual business owners to explain the process, she said, but the funding will be slightly different from existing SIDs.
Businesses that reside in a SID pay a fee that helps fund a number of common public activities within the areas such as provide security, holiday decorations, cleaning, street fairs, and street markets.
In other SIDs, the assessment or tax to pay these costs is based on how large a store is. With Exchange Place, the tax will be based on the total value of the property in the area, and the assessed value of each business.
So if a business’ value is 10 percent of the total assessed value, it would pay ten percent of the total tax. What that tax will be, however, must be decided by the SID’s board which will then in turn present its budget to the council for approval.
Yun said he would have liked to see the actual formula before the ordinance was introduced.
The idea is to promote economic growth while also attracting new retail and businesses to the area. The Exchange Place Alliance will “elevate” the neighborhood through capital improvements, repairs and maintenance, landscaping, cleaning, and programming. Previously untapped sources of revenue will be utilized for improvements, including the restoration of and upgrades to Peninsula Park, as well as Colgate Park.
The Alliance will also work to enhance the sense of arrival for the area. New amenities will include wayfinding signage and informational kiosks to help direct the public, public restrooms, tables and chairs along the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, Citi Bike stations, and public Wi-Fi.
The Alliance will hire a crew of workers that will be responsible for timely trash and snow removal, street cleaning, and litter removal, as well as landscaping and hardscaping. New bollards and lighting will be installed in coordination with PATH and PSE&G.
As part of its mission, the Exchange Place Alliance will produce vibrant weekend and weekday events and programming. It will have a strong social media presence and website, as well as sponsor local groups and support local non-profits and businesses. Through these various communication channels, the Alliance will focus on getting the word out about the new organization and the area as a destination for shopping and entertainment.
The proposed Alliance would run from the intersection of Essex and Hudson Streets north to Thomas Gangemi Drive. It would include the entire Harborside complex where Mack-Cali is undertaking a complete transformation and reimagination to introduce enhanced dining options, an energized urban landscape, unique retail experiences, and more.
There are currently five other SIDs in Jersey City including in Journal Square, Central Avenue, McGinley Square, Historic Downtown, and Jackson Hill Main Street.
Ocean Avenue redevelopment to move ahead
The city council also introduced an ordinance approving aspects of the Ocean Bayview Redevelopment Plan that would help transform one of the most blighted section on of the city. The plan would include the demolition of two buildings. But most of the former warehouses and factories along a portion of Ocean Avenue would be reconstructed, allowing old industrial space to be rebuilt into residential property.
The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency would demolish two buildings at 474 Ocean Ave. and at 480 Ocean Ave., said Matt Ward, of the JCRA.
The city has demolished about 300 buildings in the past, Ward said.
“We want to encourage preservation adopted reuse for residential use,” he said. “We’re reached out to the neighborhood association. They liked the idea.”
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.