Client Specific Planning Services - Alternatives to Incarceration is an advocacy program for convicted felons facing sentencing. CSP assists the defense counsel in preparing individualized pre-sentence memoranda for their clients for presentation to the Court as an alternative to incarceration. The goal is to intervene at a critical moment in a person's life, and give him or her the opportunity, resources, and support needed to prevent future crimes and incarceration.

The goal of the program is to provide rehabilitation alternatives to the Court on behalf of the participants. Those who are accepted by the court are on probation, under the supervision of a probation officer. They must fulfill the conditions of probation, such as attending drug treatment and participating in vocational training to stay out of prison.

Up to 95% of our clients are substance abusers. Others may have other abuse problems such as gambling. Almost all require some form of treatment to live in society in an acceptable and law-abiding way. Most crimes are property-related such as Burglary, robbery, and drug possession and sales.

The program looks for those who have been convicted of a crime who have motivation, empathy, or concern for the victims and recognition of the wrongfulness of the crime. The staff prepares a defense-based sentencing report which is submitted to the court before sentencing. This report includes relevant information about the defendant and describes the proposed recommendations.

Eligibility

• Clients must be referred to Client Specific Planning by their defense attorneys at time of plea or conviction through trial.
• Clients referred to Client Specific Planning must be facing an incarceration sentence of at least 90 days.
• Clients should demonstrate some motivation to participate in rehabilitative programming.
• Clients with private counsel must be able to pay a fee of $300.00. Client Specific Planning Services is reimbursed on a case-by-case basis for indigent defendants represented by assigned counsel through the Erie County Bar Association Aid to Indigent Prisoners Society, Inc.
• Acceptance of cases by Client Specific Planning Services is discretionary and based on client meeting eligibility criteria and the results of an assessment by program staff.
• Defense counsel must allow for a four-to-six week period for Client Specific Planning Services to conduct an investigation into the defendants background, have professional assessments completed as necessary for the particular case, make linkages and referrals to community agencies, and compose a sentencing plan for consideration by the court.

Courts Serviced include the US District Court, New York State Supreme Court, Erie County Criminal Court, Buffalo City Court, and local town courts. We work in Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Allegany, and Genesee Counties. Funding is partially provided by the NYS Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives.

Contact Information
Selena Garr
2495 Main St, Suite 534
Phone: (716) 853-0600
Fax: (716) 885-1470
yodagarr@adelphia.net