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Rikers Island is in my district.
Due to Census law, people incarcerated at Rikers are counted as my constituents (instead of at their home community).
Changing policy is about changing how we treat people, & we have an obligation to hold our criminal justice system to account.
Due to Census law, people incarcerated at Rikers are counted as my constituents (instead of at their home community).
Changing policy is about changing how we treat people, & we have an obligation to hold our criminal justice system to account.
All too often, our criminal justice system - from tickets to convictions - is treated as a game, where the one racks up the most “points” wins.
Paired w/ foolish criminalization of marijuana, poverty,etc, it wrecks chaos on people’s lives + stagnates communities for generations.
Paired w/ foolish criminalization of marijuana, poverty,etc, it wrecks chaos on people’s lives + stagnates communities for generations.
As a result, our system is “innocent until proven guilty” only for the rich &“guilty until proven innocent” for the poor.
To borrow from @ZephyrTeachout, the RADICAL rule of law is the idea that in the same scenario, our courts would treat a billionaire the same as a Bronx teen.
To borrow from @ZephyrTeachout, the RADICAL rule of law is the idea that in the same scenario, our courts would treat a billionaire the same as a Bronx teen.
It does not mean the treatment + presumption of guilt before a verdict. It does not mean we aim for the most punitive punishment.
It means that in the eyes of the law, we treat everyone the same.
That’s far from what our current system does. And that’s why it must change.
It means that in the eyes of the law, we treat everyone the same.
That’s far from what our current system does. And that’s why it must change.
