Thread by @nychange

EMERGENCY: New York lawmakers are about to pass a budget that undermines everything they say they believe in and doubles down on the racist criminalization of poverty. Thread. 1/

After months of talking about the need to address the troubling increase in gun violence, NY leaders are trying to push a bill that targets victimless, low-level crimes of poverty like jumping the turnstile or mothers who can’t afford diapers for dangerous pre-trial jailing. /2

This plan will do nothing to address gun violence. It will only worsen mental health, substance use disorder, and poverty. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to matter. /3

This move directly contradicts what New York leaders have long known: #bailreform is working and it’s not to blame for a nationwide increase in gun violence. /4

Senate Leader @AndreaSCousins on the need for bail reform: "We cannot pretend there hasn’t been judges’ discretion and that discretion has led, in some cases, nationally and not just here, to a disparity of who gets held and who doesn’t get held.” /5 newsday.com/news/region-st…

We agree that we can't expand judicial discretion without worsening ongoing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. But then why introduce a “dangerousness” provision that codifies biases into our criminal legal system? /6

We share @AndreaSCousins' position that “We do not want to criminalize poverty”. But the proposals put forth by the Senate actually encourage judges to set bail on people charged with stealing diapers, medicine, food for survival–those who're least likely to afford any bail. /7

Speaker @CarlHeastie spoke to the heart of the matter: While visiting Rikers he saw many people who needed mental health and drug treatment, not jail. “We gotta get out of this idea that solving these problems can be done on Rikers Island.” /8 capitolpressroom.org/2022/01/26/ass…

Bail rollbacks will not make us safer. Our leaders know this. /9

TW: state violence, gender violence.
Then why are the proposals on the table seeking to incentivize this police violence:

https://twitter.com/LamarSpeaks/status/1507349476423442438?s=20&t=GhWKjGV2xFcwDSKMJRIRCA

/10

That they’re proposing to roll back these reforms anyway is misguided at best - antiBlack, antipoor and regressive at worst - and will not advance public safety. /11

It can’t be overstated how harmful this policy will be, or how woefully inadequate a response this is to a real gun violence problem in New York and across the nation. /12

Rather than grappling with the facts, elected leaders are taking an approach that flies in the face of data and will score them little to no political points. /13

Let us be clear: bail reform is working, and elected leaders have made clear time and again that it has no connection to gun violence. It’s time to silence the noise and follow the facts. /14

In these final hours of negotiations, we urge all NY lawmakers to protect these important reforms.

We need real safety solutions like mental health services, housing, and violence prevention programs, not more incarceration. #FactsNotFear #HomesNotJails /end