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Cuomo to invest in Criminal Justice and At-risk Youth

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On Sunday, Governor Cuomo announced the "Right Priorities" initiative as the 13th proposal in his 2016 agenda. Cuomo says it will generate reformation for incarcerated individuals and help at risk youth find jobs to keep them away from the criminal justice system.

The plan involves a $100 million investment into the transformation of failing and high needs schools into a community schools model to help students in poverty. $50 million will be invested in the Urban Youth Jobs Program to add more jobs for at risk youth and keep them out trouble. Cuomo also plans to raise the criminal responsibility age from 16 to 18 years old and stop court system sales of criminal history information on pardoned individuals who were convicted at 16 and 17 years old.

This year, Cuomo will invest $1 million into the expansion and modernization of alternative to incarceration programs. The "Right Priorities" initiative will utilize $7.5 million of criminal forfeiture funds from the Manhattan District Attorney's office toward college education programs in prison.

In addition, Cuomo's proposal will permit transitional housing, connections to employment and medical and mental health services during the first six months of a person's prison release.

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