in Paterson an alternative to jail for some low-level non-violent offenders the city this week launched a community Court program that'll offer people a second chance before they get caught up in the criminal justice system by intervening with services like Mental Health Care substance abuse treatment and job training as Melissa Rose Cooper reports the program is considered a transformative approach to helping people get and keep their lives on track Paterson is a city of Second Chances and that improving Public Safety requires a compassionate and holistic approach and this is the last piece to what we're trying to do pison mayor Andre Sayegh applauding the city's latest program to Foster Rehabilitation and further Empower its residents the community Court's initiative will give those who've committed low-level non-violent crimes a way to get back on the right path without facing arrest ultimately our objective is to provide access to resources that may not have been readily available in the past but now City Hall is essentially becoming a onstop shop for people who have been recently released from prison or jail for people that unfortunately are struggling financially for people that have been struggling with addiction for far too long and now for people who get caught up in the criminal justice system not only clog the courts but also impair their opportunities to advance in society so I mean it when I say that the creation of a community Court in Patterson represents a victory for those individuals whose only crime was that they didn't have the connection the program is being made possible with the help of a $600,000 grant from the US Department of Justice and will operate within the Paterson municipal courts there will be a screening process and uh the individuals will go through that screening process it will include uh members of the community Court staff as well as their uh attorneys the defense attorneys uh our prosecutors and again the goal here is to uh start with this but maximize it and what do I mean by that is people who have large fines and may have suspended licenses we want the community Court to be a place where people can come and seek address for those issues without having to be arrested with with minimizing the amount of contact with our law enforcement Partners so that our court is a place where not only uh people can go in but they can also come out and come out and continue their lives in a meaningful way the community Court will include a dedicated team of professionals specializing in Behavioral Health and social services to ensure residents who have been charged with a low-level crime get the proper attention they need I am a licensed mental health counselor in the in the state of New York and a licensed professional counselor in the state of New Jersey uh my research experience has included better understanding quality of life issues that affect communities of color as well as informing um political research I'm so sorry policy research around um increasing access to mental health care and uh rehabilitative Services I look forward to Leading this initiative and want to really focus on connecting this community to vital resources that they need to address the root cause of their cases this is bringing Justice for All Justice for All and I think the the community black and brown community that things that we don't think on them we thinking on them because most affected are black black and brown communities let's be honest so we are thinking on them we bringing Justice for All take chance and opportunity that the city is giving you to be a better person tomorrow plans are also in the works to expand the community Corp to include other services like enrolling people in Community College so they can take the next steps in reaching new goals for NJ Spotlight News NJ Spotlight News I'm Melissa Rose Cooper [Music] Cooper