NYC Juvenile Detention Staffer Arrested, Fired for Sex with Teenage Detainee

Some experts believe sending teenagers back to adult jails isn’t a solution to the chaos at the juvenile centers. Jeffrey Butts, director of the Research and Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, thinks the city and ACS need to rethink forced confinement for young people charged with major crimes. Continue reading NYC Juvenile Detention Staffer Arrested, Fired for Sex with Teenage Detainee

Ohio Murder Rates Far Higher Than NYC as State’s GOP Rep. Jim Jordan Slams City’s Crime Woes

Data showing Jordan and other Ohioans that their state is more dangerous on a per capita basis than New York City probably won’t change any minds, said Jeffrey Butts, a research professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Continue reading Ohio Murder Rates Far Higher Than NYC as State’s GOP Rep. Jim Jordan Slams City’s Crime Woes

Debate over ‘Raise the Age’ lingers as juvenile gun cases soar

“Unfortunately, Raise the Age came into being just before the entire world of crime and justice changed in 2020 and 2021. If you just look at recidivism without accounting for that general environmental disruption, you’re not conducting research — you’re counting stuff. … But, to draw causal inferences that way is irresponsible.” Continue reading Debate over ‘Raise the Age’ lingers as juvenile gun cases soar

Reporte revela que reforma a ley de aumento a la edad de responsabilidad penal en NY no ha generado aumento en crímenes juveniles

“Hipotéticamente, los desafíos de enjuiciamiento introducidos por la ley estatal podrían haber contribuido al aumento de los delitos violentos, pero ese efecto no es evidente en los datos policiales de la ciudad de Nueva York”, agregó el reporte. Continue reading Reporte revela que reforma a ley de aumento a la edad de responsabilidad penal en NY no ha generado aumento en crímenes juveniles

Crime is down overall in Boston, but activists say the work must go on

While youth violence remains a concern, data on most crimes seem to have reached a plateau, though it’s too early to spot any clear trends. Academics noted that stable crime rates aren’t unusual after a period of decline, and cautioned that yearly numbers rarely point directly to the success or failure of city initiatives. Continue reading Crime is down overall in Boston, but activists say the work must go on

Crime On The Upper West Side Over the Decades

“Crime is constantly fluctuating,” said Dr. Jeffrey Butts, a research professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, in a recent phone interview. “The numbers go up and they go down,” he said, and looking at short-term changes doesn’t reflect meaningful trends. “You never understand the history of something until you can look at it with a little bit of distance.” Continue reading Crime On The Upper West Side Over the Decades

Bystanders in a Crowd: Main Street Shooting Among Many Similar Incidents

[Jeffrey] Butts is a research professor at the John John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He said prevention efforts have focused on youth intervention and economic disparity. “That was all designed for a pre-pandemic world,” Butts said. “An erosion of civilization happened with the pandemic. It seemed like society was coming apart. People were scared.” Continue reading Bystanders in a Crowd: Main Street Shooting Among Many Similar Incidents

NYC Will Spend $9 Million on ‘Violence Interrupters’ to Curb Violence in City Schools

“If we don’t do this type of a program… the only thing we have is police and formal policies and protocols, and that’s no way to run a society,” said Jeffrey Butts, a professor at John Jay College who has studied the Cure Violence programs. Continue reading NYC Will Spend $9 Million on ‘Violence Interrupters’ to Curb Violence in City Schools