Rallygoers call for the passage of new parole bills that support elderly incarcerated individuals
RAPP campaign
Lawmakers from Queens, alongside prison reform advocates, converged in Albany Wednesday to champion parole justice for families in Queens. They urged the legislature to pass parole reform bills focused on providing relief to incarcerated elders.
Participants at the rally threw their support behind two specific pieces of legislation: the Elder Parole Bill and the Fair and Timely Parole Bill, advocating for a more just parole system.
The first bill would allow the State Board of Parole to evaluate possible parole for older adults that are 55 or older. The bill emphasizes consideration for the state’s oldest and sickest incarcerated people. The latter bill would provide more in depth parole reviews for incarcerated individuals that are eligible for parole.
Organizers classify the amount of Queens residents aging and dying in prison as an ongoing crisis. They feel that decades of harsh sentencing for Black and BIPOC families lead to extreme sentencing and widespread denial of parole releases due to racial bias.
According to FOIL request information obtained by the organizers, statistically, 18% of Queens County residents in NY State prisons are age 55 or older, and 53% of Queens County residents currently incarcerated in New York State prisons are Black and 91% are People of Color.
Advocates feel many of the elders who are still serving time can be rehabilitated outside of prison, and aid in serving their communities. They believe many people have evolved after serving decades long sentences in prison. “Parole should be about who a person is today. The nature of the crime will never change. But the nature of the individual does change… and that’s what parole should be about, ” said Queens Assembly Member David Weprin (D-24), a sponsor and co-sponsor of both bills.
The press conference coincides with ‘Queens for Parole Justice…
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