For Immediate Release: 6/27/2019

Janine Kava | janine.kava@dcjs.ny.gov 
Jill Spadaro | jill.spadaro@dcjs.ny.gov  
Press Office, Division of Criminal Justice Services | (518) 457-8828

Michael C. Green receives Distinguished Achievement Award for advancing the use of evidence-based programs and strategies into criminal justice policy and practice

Executive Deputy Commissioner of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services recognized by the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University

Michael C. Green, executive deputy commissioner of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), today received the 2019 Distinguished Achievement Award in Evidence-Based Crime Policy for his contribution and commitment to advancing the integration of scientific research with criminal justice policy and practice. Green was one of two recipients of the award, which has been given annually since 2010 by the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University.

Green and Criminology Professor Lorraine Mazerolle of the University of Queensland (Australia) received the award at the Center’s day-long symposium in Arlington, Va., which included panels and presentations on the most compelling topics in criminal justice policy: responding to those in mental health crisis, tackling mass violence and combatting the opioid epidemic, among others. The Distinguished Achievement Award is the Center’s highest honor, recognizing outstanding achievements by individuals who are committed to a leadership role in advancing the use of scientific research and evidence to inform decisions about crime and justice policies. Read Commissioner Green’s acceptance remarks.

“This award is an honor and a testament to the hard work and commitment of the DCJS staff who are dedicated to the agency’s mission to enhance public safety by providing resources and services that inform decision-making and improve the quality of the criminal justice system,” Green said. “Together, we will continue to promote and expand the use of data-driven research and evidence-based programs that have been implemented throughout the state, making our communities a safer place for all New Yorkers.”

Green was nominated for the award by DCJS Public Safety Programs Supervisor Charles Tyree, who described him as “a tireless advocate for innovative and knowledge-driven policies and practices.”

Green was appointed Executive Deputy Commissioner of DCJS by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in 2012. In that role, he leads an agency with more than 400 employees that is responsible for supporting key parts of the criminal justice system and the work of law enforcement, community corrections and victim services professionals across New York State. Prior to joining DCJS, he worked for 25 years as a prosecutor in the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office and served two terms as the county’s elected district attorney.

During Green’s tenure at DCJS, the agency has shifted toward a focus of supporting local implementation of evidence-based programs and using data to drive decision-making. He has instituted a new approach to local assistance funding that includes:

• Requiring DCJS to leverage crime, arrest, incarceration and population data to identify localities of greatest need;
• Requiring DCJS staff to be familiar with the research, evidence-based programs and best practices within the criminal justice field;
• Funding program models that have been demonstrated to be effective; and
• Emphasizing performance and systematic evaluation in a wide range of program areas.  

In 2014, the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative was created to reduce the number of shootings and firearm-related homicides in the most violence-prone urban areas of the state outside New York City. DCJS provides funding to local law enforcement agencies for equipment, overtime, personnel – such as crime analysts and prosecutors – as well as coordinated training and technical assistance. Agencies participating in GIVE must design a gun violence reduction plan that employs at least two of the following evidence-based strategies: hot-spots policing; focused deterrence; street outreach; and crime prevention through environmental design.

New York is also one of the only states that invests in street outreach work, an evidence-based violence prevention and intervention strategy. DCJS provides grant funding and training for non-profit organizations that manage street outreach programs in 11 communities, including 10 within GIVE counties - Albany, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mt. Vernon, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Yonkers and Wyandanch - and another in the Bronx. The SNUG Street Outreach program aims to curb gun violence and save lives by connecting high-risk youth with programs and services and intervening in the aftermath of shooting to prevent retaliation. The GIVE initiative and SNUG program have both received national recognition for using an evidence-based approach for reducing gun violence.

Additionally, DCJS partnered with the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy last year to host a 10-week course called "Evidence-Based Policing: Translating Research into Practice." New York was the first state to offer the course, which was completed by 26 law enforcement professionals. Dr. Cynthia Lum, director of the Center, and Dr. Christopher Koper, principal fellow at the Center, taught the course, during which students developed and presented ideas for furthering the use of evidence-based policing strategies in their respective agencies.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services has a variety of responsibilities, including law enforcement training; collection and analysis of statewide crime data; maintenance of criminal history information and fingerprint files; administrative oversight of the state's DNA databank, in partnership with the New York State Police; funding and oversight of probation and community correction programs; administration of federal and state criminal justice funds; support of criminal justice-related agencies across the state; and administration of the state's Sex Offender Registry.