Kasserian Ingera Development and Defense Services (KIDDS)

Kasserian ingera is the traditional greeting of the East African
Masai which translates: “So, how are the children?” The
belief among the Masai is that if the children are well, then
so, too, is the health and prosperity of society as a whole.

So, How Are The Children?
New York State spends over $150 million annually to
incarcerate juveniles, but only $1 million annually for
transitional services for some of these same young people
post-release. The results? Three out of four (75%) are
re-arrested within 3 years—a pattern which is repeated
throughout all levels of state criminal justice supervision
for both young people and adults.

New York State has the fifth largest prison and jail population
in the United States. In Central New York, the "Elmira Hub"
of the Department of Correctional Services contains more
maximum security prisons than any other hub in the state.

In Tompkins County, there is a limited secure and/or
maximum security juvenile detention center, jail, and/or
state prison for youth and/or adults on every major
thoroughfare in and out of the city of Ithaca, the county seat.

While Ithaca is home to well known college and universities,
organic farmers and green builders; and, has been highlighted
as a model of economic growth for Central and Upstate New
York, there remains a large divide between the educated and
under-educated, the well-to-do and "the struggling," and
those who have a voice in setting and executing criminal
justice and environmental policies and those impacted
by such policies.