Bronx Assist

Early intervention and support services are often more effective at preventing future justice involvement and significantly less harmful than prosecution. They also ease the burden on prosecutors by allowing them to allocate their time and resources more effectively.

Building on our partnership to prevent gun violence with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, we offer Bronx Assist. This diversion program helps people who commit low-level crimes take responsibility for their actions and access the services they need. It relieves prosecutors of misdemeanor cases that result in dismissals, which neither support individual behavior change nor improve safety in the community.

We meet people at a crucial moment – right after arrest – providing immediate assistance and connections to stabilizing services. A trained peer navigator inside the 44th Precinct assesses needs for essentials like food, clothing, and shelter access, and offers referrals to mental health, substance use treatment, and other services for longer-term support. Participants avoid being charged and voluntarily choose the support they need, or are charged and offered a second chance to engage with service providers once at court.