Officials will assess conditions at Horizon Juvenile Center, call for greater oversight of the Administration, and urge the State to advance Raise the Age
BRONX, NY — Council Member Althea Stevens, Chair of the New York City Council Committee on Children and Youth, will join fellow elected officials, advocates, Legal Aid Society representatives, and community members on Tuesday, September 22, for a visit to Horizon Juvenile Center to assess conditions and hear directly about the experiences of young people within New York City’s juvenile justice system.
The visit will provide elected officials with an opportunity to examine conditions firsthand and engage with the Administration about the responsibilities of the systems charged with caring for young people in detention. Following the visit, Council Member Stevens and participating elected officials will hold a press conference calling for increased accountability, transparency, and oversight of juvenile detention facilities and a broader approach to youth justice that addresses the needs of young people before they enter the detention system.
Press Conference Details:
- Tuesday, September 22, 2026
- 2:00–3:00 PM: Press conference with elected officials, advocates, Legal Aid, and community members
- Horizon Juvenile Center 560 Brook Avenue, Bronx, NY 10455
Officials will also call attention to the State’s role in the youth justice system and urge Albany to move forward on Raise the Age. The elected officials will emphasize that meaningful reform requires coordination between the City and State and that continued delays in advancing reforms have consequences for young people, families, and communities.
“We cannot continue to fail our children and then blame them for falling through the cracks,” said Council Member Althea Stevens. “Our young people deserve investment, compassion, accountability, and the opportunity to build a different future. We have to demand accountability from the Administration for the conditions young people are experiencing in facilities under its responsibility. At the same time, we have to be honest about the State’s role. Raise the Age cannot continue to be slow-walked while our young people and communities wait for meaningful change. City and State government must work together to build a system that prioritizes prevention, opportunity, education, mental health, family support, and rehabilitation. Our children deserve nothing less.”
The officials will advocate for a youth justice system that recognizes that public safety and youth development are interconnected. This includes strengthening community-based interventions, investing in young people before they enter the justice system, improving conditions and oversight in detention facilities, and ensuring young people and their families have a meaningful voice in reforms.
Council Member Stevens will be joined by Council Members Kevin Riley, Selvena Brooks-Powers, and Shahana Hanif, along with advocates, Legal Aid representatives, community members, and additional elected officials.
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