Criminal Justice
Advocates for domestic violence survivors back Hochul’s proposed discovery changes
Groups that support survivors of domestic and sexual violence are asking lawmakers to approve controversial changes to the state’s discovery laws that are favored by prosecutors and opposed by criminal justice reformers.
Albany Agenda
Assembly and state Senate release ‘one-house’ state budget proposals
The Legislature’s budget proposals differ from the governor’s executive budget proposal when it comes to discovery reform, involuntary commitment and rebate checks.
Policy
DOCCS commissioner: Prison strike is over
Most of the corrections officers who took part in the unsanctioned strike have returned to work, and those who continued to strike have been fired.
Policy
Elder Parole bill gains majority support in state Senate
At a time of turbulence for New York’s prisons, a long-sought criminal justice reform measure now has enough support to pass the upper chamber – on paper, at least.
Criminal Justice
HALT law suspension continues under prison strike agreement
The agreement calls for the head of the state prison agency to continue waiving certain elements of the law, which limits the use of solitary confinement, for at least another 90 days.
Opinion
Opinion: The murder of Robert Brooks as a catalyst for clemency
With abuse rampant in state prisons, why won’t the governor release grant clemency to people who are clearly rehabilitated?
News & Politics
Advocacy groups say state prison agency can’t halt law limiting solitary confinement
The commissioner of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision released a memo last week announcing that certain provisions of the HALT Solitary Confinement law would be suspended.
New York State
Wildcat prison strikes continue upstate
Gov. Kathy Hochul and the head of the state corrections department are trying to use a combination of carrots and sticks to get corrections officers back to work.
News & Politics
Trump administration sues NY over ‘Green Light’ law
The 2019 law lets undocumented immigrants get driver’s licenses and prevents federal immigration authorities from accessing DMV data without a warrant.
Albany Agenda
Criminal justice groups, public defenders start campaign to defend discovery law
As Gov. Kathy Hochul and district attorneys push to weaken the 2019 law, advocates have launched a new website highlighting the law’s benefits.
Opinion
Opinion: Beg your pardon?
In the bizarro political world of Trump 2.0, New York City had its most surreal 24 hours yesterday as rumors swirled around the fate of Mayor Eric Adams.
Rikers Island
Updated
A timeline on the closure of Rikers Island
The long-awaited decision on a federal takeover will have to wait till an unknown date.
Policy
Albany considers multiple approaches to discovery reform
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assembly Member Micah Lasher introduced a bill to help prosecutors comply with the law, while Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to weaken the law’s requirements.
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NYPD
Cops will start patrolling overnight subways on Monday
Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the state will foot $77 million in NYPD overtime costs over the next three months.
NYPD
New bill would seal unproven complaints against officers
Would this be a Clean Slate Act for cops?
Opinion
Opinion: The Rikers federal monitor’s failures and the flawed Nunez consent decree
In contrast to previous consent decrees that were more narrowly tailored and helped reform Rikers Island jails, the Nunez Consent Decree tries to address systemic issues without a clear roadmap.
Opinion
Opinion: A Rikers receiver must have the power to close it
Closing Rikers will provide a natural endpoint for the receivership and an opportunity for the city to take back control of its jails.
Opinion
Opinion: Despite undeniable obstacles, Rikers Island can still be closed
Public officials have it within their power to take necessary steps toward permanently closing the atrocious jails on Rikers.
Editor's Note
Editor’s note: The difference between anecdotes and data in congestion pricing and policing
Focusing on misleading information can lead policymakers to the wrong decision.
Criminal Justice
Hundreds of deaths in state prisons go unexplained
A City & State investigation found a lack of reporting on people who have died while in custody, as well as for those who were compassionately released, going back decades.
Albany Agenda
Paulin’s ‘Weinstein’ bill back on legislative agenda for 2025
The controversial bill, which failed to pass last year, would allow prosecutors to introduce evidence of prior sexual offenses in legal proceedings.
