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37 CRIMINAL JUSTICE
one starts in life should not define where one ends up.
Challenge In 2024, more than 200,000 New Yorkers had some experience involving the justice system— from arrest to probation. Another 160,000 New Yorkers who have spent time in prison at some point in their lives. Any involvement with the criminal justice system, from arrest to incarceration, can be an impoverishing event for both the person and their families. Robin Hood-funded research tells us that time in prison reduces lifetime earning potential by nearly half a million dollars on average. Even a misdemeanor conviction reduces earnings by 16%. Evidence-based research tells us that preventing interaction with the criminal justice system and minimizing its harms reduces poverty. Response At Robin Hood, our focus is on helping young adults avoid a criminal record and preventing recidivism. Justice system involvement of any kind is strongly related to negative economic and health outcomes over a lifetime. Your support helps Robin Hood provide opportunities for new starts because where
Incarceration creates long-term adverse consequences for families and children of those serving time. However, research confirms that frequent family visits lowers the recidivism rate. Through an innovative program with the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM), Robin Hood funds a family reunification called Family Connections, which hosts supportive, safe, and child-friendly learning environments that help families mitigate the harmful effects of parental incarceration on Riker’s Island. Visits organized by CMOM occur at Rikers in a renovated child-friendly setting. CMOM also brings inmates from Rikers to the Childrens Museum in Manhattan. These visits help maintain a sense of family attachment, reducing the trauma of separation. Moreover, the program engages families through the museum’s various installations, led by trained early childhood educators who facilitate playful learning interactions between parents and their young children to make the visit about both connection as well as early brain development for young children.
IN 2024
GRANTS TOTALED $2.4 MILLION
Here’s What You Made Possible
Achieved an 8% TWO-YEAR
Reached 1,200 YOUNG ADULTS
recidivism rate among participants in Robin Hood-funded justice programs in stark contrast to the 50% recidivism rate without intervention.
last year through Robin Hood’s criminal justice investments. Over the last four years, our grantmaking has served 4,200 NEW YORKERS who have been impacted by the criminal justice system.
Formerly imprisoned people have an average lifetime earning loss of $484,400.
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