Center For Community Alternatives

Through a statewide network of direct services, advocacy and organizing, and by supporting the leadership of directly-impacted people, we advance civil and human rights for all New Yorkers. Founded by Marsha Weissman in 1981, CCA is one of the first community-based alternative-to-incarceration programs in the State of New York. Over the past 40 years, CCA has grown into a statewide organization widely recognized for our principled stance on criminal legal reform and our high-impact programs for people affected by systems of incarceration or criminalization. Under Marsha’s leadership, CCA achieved several key successes, including influencing the New York State Legislature to prioritize reintegration in sentencing, reforming drug laws and shifting the juvenile legal system toward community-based programs instead of detention. Since 2015, Executive Director David Condliffe has continued to advance this legacy. Under his leadership, CCA has secured policy wins such as reducing youth incarceration through “Raise the Age” legislation and helping remove barriers to higher education for people with criminal records by leading the effort to “Ban the Box” on SUNY applications.

We offer support to those impacted by SUD, mental health, reentry from the prison system, and those affected by gambling harms.