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Residents to protest South Ozone Park juvenile detention center again

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Residents in South Ozone Park are planning yet another protest in response to the ACS’ juvenile detention center in the area.

The state’s Close to Home program moves 18 juveniles in upstate facilities back down to the city in order to have them closer to their families.

A group of residents, named the Committee to Stop the Prison in South Ozone Park, is hosting the protest. They will rally on Saturday at the parking lot of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, located on 133-25 128 Street.

“When our government infringes into our way of life, our freedom and our prosperity, we need to stand together and honorably fight for our rights,” a flier for the protest states.

Recently, the center was audited by city comptroller Scott Stringer. The contract was rejected last month but ACS resent the contract to Stringer’s office on July 13.

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Comptroller Stringer audits Close to Home program

4ZNZ_Juvey_hall_pic_The much opposed Close to Home program is being audited by City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

Although there is no word on how long the audit will last or what its looking into, news of the audit still comes to good news for city neighborhoods.

The Close to Home program, orchestrated by the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), hopes to move juvenile delinquents from upstate facilities to buildings around the city in an effort to bring them closer to their families as well as have them re-introduced into society.

There has been a loud outcry from both South Ozone Park and Queens Village in an effort to dismiss the juvenile facilities from popping up in the areas. Last week, Stringer rejected the contract for the South Ozone Park facility due to “inconsistencies.”

Due to property value decreases as well as safety concerns, members of both communities hope that Stringer’s audit will be a step towards shutting down both facility plans.

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