Division of Criminal Justice Services

Erie County

Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) Programs

ERIE COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICE SENTENCING PROGRAM

Brian McLaughlin, Commissioner
1 Niagara Plaza
Buffalo, NY  14202
Phone: (716) 858-8205, Fax: (716) 858-2862
Supervising Agency:
Erie County Probation Department

As a unit within the Erie County Probation Department, the Erie County Community Service Program works directly with the local courts, as well as with probation officers in our Adult Division, to screen prospective program participants, place these program participants in appropriate community service sites and monitor the compliance and completion of the court-ordered community service. In addition, the Community Service Sentencing Program develops and maintains community service placement sites on an on-going basis which are consistent with the goal of public safety, community enrichment, offender accountability and the promotion of a crime-free lifestyle. 


ERIE COUNTY PRETRIAL RELEASE SERVICES PROGRAM

Brendon Dickman, Program Director
1 Niagara Plaza, Suite #111
Buffalo, NY 14202-3492 
Phone: (716) 858-820, Fax: (716) 858-2862
Supervising Agency
Erie County Probation Department 

The Erie County Pretrial Services Program is an Alternative to Incarceration Program (ATI) which has succeeded in facilitating the use of non-financial release to suitable defendants in Erie County. Pretrial along with Release Under Supervision (RUS) reduces the impact of unnecessary incarceration for defendants who are unable to financially post bail and can be safely released into the community with appropriate supervision. This project provides all criminal court clients, initially unable to post bail, the opportunity to be interviewed to determine eligibility for release from jail. The interview process objectively assesses the defendant's qualifications for release through release on his/her own recognizance (ROR), or, where the court determines the risk of absconding to be greater, through release under supervision (RUS). Program operations include screening, eligibility determinations, monitoring functions, where appropriate, and court notification of those who fail to satisfy release requirements.


Community Services for the Every1 – Developmentally Disabled Offender Program (DDOP)

Mindy Cervoni, President and CEO
452 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo NY 14202-1515
Phone: (716) 883-8002 Ext. 435, Fax: (716) 883-2065
Supervising Agency
Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled, Inc. 

The Developmentally Disabled Offender Program (DDOP) provides Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) Services to developmentally disabled and learning disabled individuals throughout the various stages of the criminal justice system. The program provides on-going court advocacy, intensive case management, Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), vocational/stabilization planning, linkage and referral, and assistance in achieving individualized goals, ensuring compliance with legal mandates in an effort to reduce the risk of recidivism.


CEO (BUFFALO) EMPLOYMENT FOCUSED SERVICES PROGRAM

Jessica Centeno, NYS Director, Workforce Development
170 Franklin Street, Suite #300
Buffalo, New York 14202
Phone: (716) 842-6320, Fax: (716) 842-6324
Supervising Agency:
Center for Employment Opportunities

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), a national non-profit organization providing immediate and comprehensive employment services exclusively to men and women returning with criminal convictions, proposes to provide comprehensive employment services to high-risk parolees in Buffalo through transitional-employment programming and cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBI) through the DCJS Employment- Focused Services Program. By incorporating CEO's cognitive-behavioral employment approach, which combines best-in-class strategies to help the hardest-to-employ seek and retain employment as well as integrates evidence-based and best practices for justice-involved populations, CEO will work will high-risk parolees towards the goal of ultimately achieving reductions in felony re-arrests and increase long-term employment.