RAPP Campaign

Release Aging People in Prison Campaign

Press Releases

FOUNDER OF #MeToo MOVEMENT JOINS OTHER LEADING NY ADVOCATES FOR CRIME VICTIMS, VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS, & ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE GROUPS IN CALLING FOR PAROLE JUSTICE & SURVIVOR JUSTICE BILLS

May 24, Press Release: Today, Tarana Burke, founder of #MeToo, announced her support for the Fair Access to Victim Compensation bill as well as the Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole bills. She joins 12 leading advocacy groups for crime victims and survivors, violence interrupters and anti-gun violence groups...

Read moreFOUNDER OF #MeToo MOVEMENT JOINS OTHER LEADING NY ADVOCATES FOR CRIME VICTIMS, VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS, & ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE GROUPS IN CALLING FOR PAROLE JUSTICE & SURVIVOR JUSTICE BILLS

FOLLOWING NEWS THAT PAROLE JUSTICE BILLS HAVE MAJORITY SUPPORT IN NYS LEGISLATURE, NYC COUNCIL AGING COMMITTEE CHAIR CRYSTAL HUDSON CALLS FOR SWIFT PASSAGE BEFORE 2023 SESSION ENDS

May 23, Press Release: TRecently, news broke that a majority of NY Senators officially co-sponsor the Elder Parole bill, following years of advocacy and public education by a statewide grassroots campaign

Read moreFOLLOWING NEWS THAT PAROLE JUSTICE BILLS HAVE MAJORITY SUPPORT IN NYS LEGISLATURE, NYC COUNCIL AGING COMMITTEE CHAIR CRYSTAL HUDSON CALLS FOR SWIFT PASSAGE BEFORE 2023 SESSION ENDS

WITH PAROLE JUSTICE BILLS ADVANCING THRU LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES, THE NYS BLACK, PUERTO RICAN, HISPANIC, & ASIAN LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS AND ADVOCATES TO RALLY FOR VICTORY

May 23, Media Advisory: CHAIRS OF THE SENATE & ASSEMBLY CRIME COMMITTEES, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO JOIN CAUCUS IN CALL FOR PASSAGE OF ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS

Read moreWITH PAROLE JUSTICE BILLS ADVANCING THRU LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES, THE NYS BLACK, PUERTO RICAN, HISPANIC, & ASIAN LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS AND ADVOCATES TO RALLY FOR VICTORY

BRONX DA CLARK ENDORSES ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS

May 19, Press Release: Today, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced her support for the Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole bills and calling on the legislature and Governor to enact them this session. DA Clark, along with Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club President Allen Roskoff, and Bronx Assembly Member Chantel Jackson released the following statements...

Read moreBRONX DA CLARK ENDORSES ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS

ADVOCATES RESPOND TO RETIREMENT OF NY STATE PRISON ACTING COMMISSIONER ANTHONY ANNUCCI

May 17, Press Release: Today, advocates learned that NYS DOCCS Acting Commissioner Anthony Annucci is retiring from the Dep't of Corrections and Community Supervision. In response, Jerome Wright, Co-Director of the #HALTsolitary Campaign, and Jose Saldana, Director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign/RAPP, released the following statements...

Read moreADVOCATES RESPOND TO RETIREMENT OF NY STATE PRISON ACTING COMMISSIONER ANTHONY ANNUCCI

RAPP CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR CONDEMNS BACKROOM DEAL TO WEAKEN BAIL LAWS, URGES “LEGISLATORS OF CONSCIENCE” TO VOTE NO

May 1, Statement: On May 1, the New York State legislature released to the public a budget bill that includes devastating policy changes to weaken the civil rights protections in New York State’s bail law, following two of the deadliest years in New York City jails. In response, Jose Saldana, Director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign/RAPP, said...

Read moreRAPP CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR CONDEMNS BACKROOM DEAL TO WEAKEN BAIL LAWS, URGES “LEGISLATORS OF CONSCIENCE” TO VOTE NO

May 3 • RAPP + Coalition of Human Rights Groups to address U.N. Racial Justice & Equality in Law Enforcement Commission, calling for Abolition of Death by Incarceration

April 28 Media Advisory: Amid the historic visit of the U.N. Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, a coalition of civil rights, legal, and prisoners’ rights groups working on the issue of life imprisonment, also known as Death by Incarceration, released the following statement...

Read moreMay 3 • RAPP + Coalition of Human Rights Groups to address U.N. Racial Justice & Equality in Law Enforcement Commission, calling for Abolition of Death by Incarceration

4/25 @ 10:15 AM Outside City Hall • COUNCIL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS TO JOIN BROTHER OF KALIEF BROWDER & OTHER ADVOCATES TO SAVE THE CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS IN NEW YORK’S DISCOVERY, SPEEDY TRIAL & BAIL LAWS

April 25 Media Advisory: With the state budget already delayed by nearly a month because of Governor Hochul’s insistence on using it to force changes to the successful bail laws to increase pretrial jailing, as well as an 11th hour push to gut the discovery and speedy trial laws, the NYC Council’s Progressive Caucus will co-lead a press conference and rally outside City Hall with Akeem Browder, brother of the late Kalief Browder, and other advocates to save the civil rights protections in New York State’s discovery, speedy trial, and bail laws.

Read more4/25 @ 10:15 AM Outside City Hall • COUNCIL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS TO JOIN BROTHER OF KALIEF BROWDER & OTHER ADVOCATES TO SAVE THE CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS IN NEW YORK’S DISCOVERY, SPEEDY TRIAL & BAIL LAWS

THE NYS BLACK, PUERTO RICAN, HISPANIC, AND ASIAN LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS JOINS ADVOCATES IN RALLY TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES AND PROTECT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS

April 17, Press Release: Today, with the state budget already delayed by nearly two weeks because of Governor Hochul’s insistence on using it to force changes to the successful bail laws to increase pretrial jailing, as well as an 11th hour push to gut the discovery law, Chair Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages and the members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Conference led a press conference and rally in the NY State Capitol with advocates to protect communities and protect the bail and discovery laws.

Read moreTHE NYS BLACK, PUERTO RICAN, HISPANIC, AND ASIAN LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS JOINS ADVOCATES IN RALLY TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES AND PROTECT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS

SURVIVORS OF RIKERS ISLAND JOIN ASSEMBLYWOMAN WALKER, WHO’S ON HUNGER STRIKE, & OTHER LAWMAKERS IN RALLY TO PROTECT BAIL REFORM LAW & DEMAND INVESTMENTS IN SAFETY

April 14, Press Release: With the state budget already delayed by nearly two weeks because of Governor Hochul’s insistence on using it to force changes to the bail laws to increase pretrial jailing, state legislators, people who have survived Rikers Island, and people who lost loved ones at Rikers gathered on April 13 for a rally and press conference in Foley Square to urge the Legislature to hold the line and protect our hard-won progress and protect the successful bail reform law.

Read moreSURVIVORS OF RIKERS ISLAND JOIN ASSEMBLYWOMAN WALKER, WHO’S ON HUNGER STRIKE, & OTHER LAWMAKERS IN RALLY TO PROTECT BAIL REFORM LAW & DEMAND INVESTMENTS IN SAFETY

SURVIVORS OF RIKERS ISLAND TO JOIN LAWMAKERS IN RALLY TO PROTECT BAIL REFORM LAW, DEMAND INVESTMENTS IN SAFETY, & STOP EXPANDING PRETRIAL JAILING AMID HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS

April 13, Media Advisory: With the state budget already delayed by nearly two weeks because of Governor Hochul’s insistence on forcing changes to the bail laws to increase pretrial jailing, state legislators, people who have survived Rikers Island, and people who lost loved ones at Rikers will gather for a rally and press conference in Foley Square to urge the Legislature to hold the line and protect our hard-won progress and protect the successful bail reform law.

Read moreSURVIVORS OF RIKERS ISLAND TO JOIN LAWMAKERS IN RALLY TO PROTECT BAIL REFORM LAW, DEMAND INVESTMENTS IN SAFETY, & STOP EXPANDING PRETRIAL JAILING AMID HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS

ON EASTER SUNDAY, AFTER POPE FRANCIS UPLIFTS THE DIGNITY OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE, SISTER HELEN PREJEAN CONDEMNS EFFORTS BY NY GOV. HOCHUL TO EXPAND PRETRIAL JAILING AS ANTITHETICAL TO SAFETY & JUSTICE

April 9, Statement: On Easter Sunday, inspired by this act of grace, leading anti-death penalty advocate Sister Helen Prejean released the following statement condemning Governor Kathy Hochul’s efforts to expand pretrial jailing amid a humanitarian crisis behind bars across the state that has taken many lives

Read moreON EASTER SUNDAY, AFTER POPE FRANCIS UPLIFTS THE DIGNITY OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE, SISTER HELEN PREJEAN CONDEMNS EFFORTS BY NY GOV. HOCHUL TO EXPAND PRETRIAL JAILING AS ANTITHETICAL TO SAFETY & JUSTICE

ADVOCATES WELCOME HOME INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS GRANTED CLEMENCY & URGE GOV. HOCHUL TO GRANT MORE CLEMENCIES ON AN ONGOING BASIS

April 7, Statement: Today, Governor Kathy Hochul granted seven clemencies, including two to incarcerated people in the New York State prison system, one of whom is an incarcerated member of the Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign. In response, Jose DiLenola, Clemency Campaign Director of the RAPP Campaign, released the following statement...

Read moreADVOCATES WELCOME HOME INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS GRANTED CLEMENCY & URGE GOV. HOCHUL TO GRANT MORE CLEMENCIES ON AN ONGOING BASIS

COALITIONS LEADING THE FIGHT ON HOUSING, CLIMATE, EDUCATION, AND AN INCLUSIVE SAFETY NET CALL FOR REJECTION OF ANY BUDGET DEAL WITH BAIL LAW CHANGES TO INCREASE PRETRIAL JAILING

April 4, Statement: (New York) – Today, days after the official due date of the budget, the Fund Excluded Workers Coalition, CUNY Rising Alliance, Housing Justice for All, Sunrise Movement NYC, and the Alliance for Quality Education, collectively representing over 200 organizations statewide, released the following statement in response to actions by Governor Kathy Hochul to hold up the budget unless legislators capitulate to her plan to upend the bail law to jail more Black, brown, and low-income people...

Read moreCOALITIONS LEADING THE FIGHT ON HOUSING, CLIMATE, EDUCATION, AND AN INCLUSIVE SAFETY NET CALL FOR REJECTION OF ANY BUDGET DEAL WITH BAIL LAW CHANGES TO INCREASE PRETRIAL JAILING

MORE THAN A DOZEN LEGISLATORS JOIN PEOPLE AND FAMILIES GRIEVOUSLY HARMED BY RIKERS & OTHER JAILS TO SAY ‘HOCHUL IS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY’

March 30, 2023, Media Advisory: PARTICIPANTS RALLIED ADMID D.O.C. BODY BAGS & CALLED FOR FULL REJECTION OF GOVERNOR HOCHUL'S PROPOSAL TO WEAKEN BAIL LAWS OR ANY OTHER MASS JAILING PLAN

Read moreMORE THAN A DOZEN LEGISLATORS JOIN PEOPLE AND FAMILIES GRIEVOUSLY HARMED BY RIKERS & OTHER JAILS TO SAY ‘HOCHUL IS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY’

Protestors to Demand Invesco & Greenberg Traurig Immediately Cut Funding for Cop City Project in Atlanta; Protests to Take Place Outside Offices in White Plains

February 21, 2023, Press Release: FOLLOWING THE POLICE MURDER OF A COP CITY PROTESTOR IN JANUARY 2023, THERE IS INCREASING DEMAND FOR BUSINESSES TO CUT TIES WITH COP CITY

Read moreProtestors to Demand Invesco & Greenberg Traurig Immediately Cut Funding for Cop City Project in Atlanta; Protests to Take Place Outside Offices in White Plains

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 • NY LAWMAKERS TO JOIN CRIME VICTIM & ANTI-VIOLENCE ADVOCATES AT RALLY TO “STOP CYCLES OF VIOLENCE” WITH PAROLE JUSTICE & SURVIVOR JUSTICE

February 13, 2023: MEDIA ADVISORY: SURVIVORS OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE AND INCARCERATION WILL CALL FOR RENEWED COMMITMENT TO HEALING AND SAFETY THROUGH PASSAGE OF THE ELDER PAROLE, FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE, AND FAIR ACCESS TO VICTIM COMPENSATION BILLS

Read moreTUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 • NY LAWMAKERS TO JOIN CRIME VICTIM & ANTI-VIOLENCE ADVOCATES AT RALLY TO “STOP CYCLES OF VIOLENCE” WITH PAROLE JUSTICE & SURVIVOR JUSTICE