Crime affects the entire community – victims, the person committing the offense, families, community members, and taxpayers. Incarceration has long been regarded as the answer to crime; unfortunately, incarceration doesn’t respond to the fundamental reasons crimes are committed.  As a result, it is a solution that fails both to improve public safety and to prevent future crimes by people released from jail or prison. The impact of this failure is wide-reaching: young people and adults are isolated from needed supports, families are disrupted, and the cycle of poverty and recidivism within at-risk communities continues. Incarceration is also expensive, costing the New York City hundreds of millions of dollars every year.  In stark contrast, Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) programs cost significantly less, and connect criminally-involved individuals with services and opportunities that help them build better, safer, crime-free futures.

According to the 2010 New York City ATI/Reentry Coalition Services Report 2010:

• The annual cost per person of most ATI programs is $11,000, versus $261,000/year to incarcerate one person in juvenile detention, $73,000/year to incarcerate one person in jail, and $38,000/year to incarcerate one person in prison.
• ATI/Reentry programs save City and State correctional systems over $100 million and also create savings through reduced reliance on hospitals, emergency rooms and inpatient care, foster care, and homeless shelters.  Clients who are employed pay taxes on their earnings and make child support payments.
• Fewer than 20% of [ATI/Reentry] Coalition program graduates have a new criminal conviction within two years.
• In comparison, 75% of youth released from State custodial facilities will be re-arrested within three years. (Independent Budget Office of the City of New York, 2006.)