“It’s an honor to work with so many people impacted by mass incarceration who are in the trenches leading efforts to make Brooklyn safer and more just,” Salazar said. “Breaking cycles of violence requires all of us, working together, to win investments in communities, meet people’s needs, and promote true transformation and healing. Extreme sentences and endless incarceration do not keep us safe. This year, we have to pass Fair & Timely Parole and Elder Parole to bring fairness to New York’s parole system and begin to heal our communities.”
Anthony Dixon, from Brooklyn and founder of Survivors of the System, advocated for the proposed bills, citing their alignment with values of justice, compassion and redemption. “By supporting these bills, we are advocating for fairness in our legal system,” Dixon said.
Assembly Member Maritza Davila, the lead sponsor of the Elder Parole bill, discussed the importance of giving older incarcerated individuals a chance for parole consideration, reflecting on the changes they have made.
“Our elder incarcerated individuals deserve an opportunity to be heard by the parole board to help them identify the progress that they have made, some of whom have been in prison since they were young,” Davila said. “It’s a very unfortunate reality and most individuals have been deprived of a fair process to be considered for release. This bill is a step forward to end mass incarceration, reunite families, and give inmates the opportunity to return and integrate into society.”
Other Assembly Members, including Brian Cunningham and Jo Anne Simon, also expressed their support for the movement towards parole justice, with Cunningham emphasizing the capacity for personal change and Simon advocating for the opportunity for parole as a form of justice.
Robert Webster, representing the Fortune Society, shared his personal experience of 35 years in incarceration and the ongoing need for parole reform.
The press conference…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply