A community care van is rolling through South Brooklyn neighborhoods to deliver case management and check-in services to people facing criminal charges while out on pretrial supervised release.

On Livonia Avenue, community navigator Troy Johnson climbs behind the wheel of the van, which functions as a mobile office for Brooklyn Justice Initiatives staff. Johnson has worked as a navigator since May, visiting people on supervised release to help them comply with court orders.

"I spent some time in prison. I realized during that period that, no, I'm not a bad boy," Johnson recalled. "So I'm always looking for opportunities, even outside of the workplace, to help others."

How the pilot program works

The pilot program targets Brooklyn residents who have previously struggled to meet the terms of their release. Instead of requiring them to travel to an office, the van brings services directly into their neighborhoods.

Curtis Huggins, Director of Community Initiatives at the Brooklyn Justice Initiative, said participants receive far more than basic check-ins.

"They essentially get a mobile office without having to come into the office to complete their check-ins, get wraparound services, they get provisions, care packages, clothing items," Huggins said.

The initiative is a partnership with the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice. City officials say research shows that increasing compliance with supervised release conditions can lower recidivism.

"Supervised release participants return to court at a rate of 87%. And so the city has really been focused on looking at the flip side of that statistic. How do we make it much higher? How do we serve people better?" said Jordan Montoya, executive director of Diversion and Transition at the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice.

"We can potentially assist them in whatever it is that they need"  

During a stop in Midwood, Johnson met with 39-year-old Allen Keller, who received a care package filled with snacks while checking in with his case worker.

"It's been helpful in the sense that it kept me out of jail," Keller said. "My counselor... is helping me rebuild bridges with my family members. And that is a tremendous strain in my life."

The van primarily serves parts of South Brooklyn considered transit deserts and focuses on participants 35 and older, many of whom juggle work, child care, or responsibilities to aging parents.

"These are individuals who are parents, community members who have a variety of obligations outside of the court system. And we allow them to be able to maintain, engage with that," Huggins said.

In some cases, workers transport participants to their new Brownsville hub on Livonia Avenue, where they can access additional services such as hot meals and free haircuts before their court appointments.

"We can potentially assist them in whatever it is that they need in their life to put it back on track," Montoya said.

The three-year pilot aims to give participants a stronger shot at a second chance while leaders study whether the approach can help build safer communities across Brooklyn.

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