The first two people to die on Rikers Island were caged only bc of a “technical” parole violation. They committed no crimes.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/nyr…
Raymond Rivera, the second person to die on Rikers Island from COVID-19, was caged since last summer. For no crime. For a minor parole violation. Case dragged on & on. Finally, last Friday, parole lifted the hold. He was lying in a hospital bed. He died the next day.
Michael Tyson, the first person to die on Rikers from COVID-19, was caged simply for failing to report to his parole officer. That’s all. That’s what got him the death penalty. He was 53. thecity.nyc/2020/04/first-…
The first two people to die on Rikers were among thousands currently incarcerated in NY for technical parole violations like curfew, failure to update a mailing address, hanging out w/ someone previously incarcerated. Cuomo could release them all if he wanted to.
NY is the leader in incarceration for "technical parole violations" (curfew, missed appointment). NY reincarcerates more than 48 other states.
1/3 of all new admissions to NY prisons.
5x nat'l average.
12x more likely if you're Black.
1/3 of all new admissions to NY prisons.
5x nat'l average.
12x more likely if you're Black.
Last year, the NY legislature could have changed all this. 6000 less people caged. A bill introduced (& supported by DAs by the way) called "Less is More." Would
-Prohibit arrests/jail for most technical violations
-Give earned time credit for good behavior
-Require due process.
-Prohibit arrests/jail for most technical violations
-Give earned time credit for good behavior
-Require due process.
Why didn’t NY Democrats pass the Less Is More Act, which would have prevented the caging of humans based on non-criminal conduct? They said they suffered from “justice fatigue” after passing the commonsense bail reform they just repealed in the dead of night during a pandemic.
Parole was initially designed as an alternative to incarceration. Parole officers were trained in social work. If you took a misstep, there wasn’t punishment. Services were stepped up. Now, parole officers are law enforcement. No funds for services. Only option: reincarceration.
People on parole already face near impossible challenges. A record excludes you from most housing, jobs, benefits. Then add on average 20 restrictions from curfew & onerous reporting demands to no events w/ alcohol. One slip could mean jail. Perpetual punishment.
TAKE ACTION:
Use the link below to email & tweet your elected officials and @NYGovCuomo — tell them it’s time to pass #LessIsMoreNY NOW and #EndtheCycle of incarceration for crimeless violations of parole.
People inside can’t wait, #FreeThemALL.
p2a.co/VZhPpCy
Use the link below to email & tweet your elected officials and @NYGovCuomo — tell them it’s time to pass #LessIsMoreNY NOW and #EndtheCycle of incarceration for crimeless violations of parole.
People inside can’t wait, #FreeThemALL.
p2a.co/VZhPpCy
