Find recent press releases from the RAPP Campaign below
For media inquiries contact:
David George, Associate Director, Release Aging People in Prison/RAPP:
rapppress@gmail.com
(631) 885-3565
ADVOCATES WELCOME HOME INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS GRANTED CLEMENCY & URGE GOV. HOCHUL TO GRANT MORE CLEMENCIES ON AN ONGOING BASIS
September 8, Press Release: Today, Governor Kathy Hochul granted 13 clemencies, including three commutations to people incarcerated in the New York State prison system and ten pardons to individuals already living in the community. In response, Jose DiLenola, Clemency Campaign Director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign (RAPP), released the following statement…
Testimony on NY State Master Plan for Aging • by Ronald Dennis
August 24, Press Release: “My name is Ronald Dennis. I served 36 years in prison in New York State. Today I’m a Syracuse Community Leader with Release Aging People in Prison Campaign and a VOCAL-NY Leader. I applaud The New York State Department of Health and New York State Office for the Aging for coordinating a Master Plan for Aging for our state. However, I believe that if this Master Plan were to exclude older adults in prison, it would only serve to further entrench racism … and to continue the backwards tradition of ignoring the essential humanity of incarcerated people….”
RAPP Campaign Statement on Failure of NY Lawmakers to Pass Parole Justice Legislation
June 9, Press Release: “New York State legislative leaders’ failure to pass the Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole bills demonstrates a disregard for the plight of tens of thousands of Black and Brown families that have been devastated by generations of racist criminal justice policies.” – Jose Saldaña
LAWMAKERS & ADVOCATES RALLY FOR PAROLE JUSTICE, CITING NEW DATA SHOWING WIDENING RACIAL DISPARITIES IN PAROLE DENIALS & STATE PRISON DEATHS HIGHER THAN RIKERS
Media Advisory: On June 8, 10:30a, at Capitol – SPEAKERS WILL CALL FOR PASSAGE OF ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS BEFORE SESSION ENDS THE FOLLOWING DAY
NYU LAW CENTER ON RACE, INEQUALITY, & THE LAW RELEASES NEW DATA FINDING DEEPENING RACIAL BIAS IN PAROLE RELEASE DECISIONS
June 5, Press Release: Today, New York University School of Law’s Center for Race, Inequality & the Law released a devastating new publication, finding deepening racial bias in parole release decisions in New York State…
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…
ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE PASSES ASSEMBLY CORRECTION COMMITTEE; FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE PASSES SENATE CRIME COMMITTEE
May 23, Media Advisory: HAILING COMMITTEE PASSAGE AND MAJORITY SUPPORT, BPHA CAUCUS, LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATES CALL FOR PASSAGE OF ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS BEFORE END OF SESSION
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
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
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…
JOINT STATEMENT BY CHAIRS OF SENATE & ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES ON AGING CALLING FOR VOTE ON ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE
May 18, Press Release: Today, Chair of the New York State Senate Standing Committee on Aging Cordell Cleare and Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Aging Ron Kim released the following joint statement…
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…
MAJORITY OF NEW YORK STATE SENATORS OFFICIALLY BACK ELDER PAROLE
May 16, Press Release: SUPPORTERS HAIL MILESTONE AND CALL FOR A VOTE ON THE ELDER PAROLE BILL
HAILING MAJORITY LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT, LAWMAKERS & ADVOCATES HOLD RALLY IN NY CAPITOL TO PASS ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS
May 9, Press Release: May 8 ADVOCACY DAY BEGINS WITH 350-PERSON MARCH WITH MARCHING BAND & FREEDOM SONGS IN THE EMPIRE STATE PLAZA CONCOURSE
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…
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…
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.
ANGELA DAVIS URGES GOVERNOR HOCHUL NOT TO GUT BAIL REFORM
April 17, Press Release: “This is a pivotal moment for those of us who know that prisons and incarceration harm Black and Brown people rather than creating public safety. The Democratic governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, is trying to reignite the explosion of incarceration…”
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.
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.
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.
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
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…
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…
ADVOCATES DEMAND NO MORE GUTTING OF BAIL LAW
March 31, 2023, Media Statement: RELEASE AGING PEOPLE IN PRISON CAMPAIGN LEADER CALLS FOR COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS, NOT MORE 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
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
CONGRESSMEMBER & FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR DAN GOLDMAN ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR PAROLE REFORM MEASURES IN NY STATE
February 14, 2023: Press Release CITING JUSTICE AND COST SAVINGS, CONGRESSMEMBER GOLDMAN URGES PASSAGE OF THE ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS
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
AT RALLY IN SUPPORT OF PAROLE REFORM, NY LAWMAKERS ISSUE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATIONS TO DOZENS OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS DOING ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY SAFETY WORK
January 18, 2023: Press Release FORMERLY INCARCERATED SPEAKERS DECLARE: “WE’RE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO VIOLENCE” AND CALL FOR PASSAGE OF THE ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE TO BRING HOME MORE LEADERS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY
RAPP CAMPAIGN STATEMENT ON FIRST DAY OF 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
January 4, 2023: Campaign Statement
ADVOCATES CELEBRATE INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS GRANTED CLEMENCY BY GOV. HOCHUL & LOOK FORWARD TO HER GRANTING MORE CLEMENCIES ON AN ONGOING BASIS
Today, Governor Kathy Hochul granted 13 clemencies, including four to incarcerated people in the New York State prison system, two of whom are incarcerated members of the Release Aging People …
Senate Correction & Judiciary Chairs, Crime Survivors, & Reform Advocates Held Press Conference Ahead of Public Hearing to Say: “Parole Justice Measures are Next”
Photos and video available upon request: • Jared Chausow, jchausow@gmail.com, (650) 814-0565• TeAna Taylor, taylorteana@gmail.com, (518) 847-5497 December 7, 2022: Press Release
ADVOCATES’ STATEMENT ON NYS INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT FINDING SHARP & WORSENING RACIAL DISPARITIES IN PRISON DISCIPLINE
Today, the New York State Inspector General released a report entitled Racial Disparities in the Administration of Discipline in New York State Prisons. The report found sharp and widening racial …
Family Members, Survivors of Incarceration, State Legislators, and Allied Collective of Leading Campaigns Held Statewide Rallies to Stop the Repression and Human Rights Crisis in New York State Prison
Among Other Demands to Protect Human Rights and Improve Safety in Prisons and Outside Communities, Participants urged Governor Hochul and State Officials to: November 21, 2022: Press Release
ADVOCATES TO HOLD RALLIES IN NYC, BUFFALO & ALBANY CALLING ON GOV. HOCHUL TO FULFILL HER COMMITMENT TO EXPAND USE OF CLEMENCY AND REUNITE FAMILIES
NOVEMBER 17, 2022: New York, NY: RALLIES TO TAKE PLACE ONE YEAR AFTER GOV. HOCHUL COMMITTED TO GRANT CLEMENCIES ON AN ONGOING BASIS – AND AMID CRISIS OF AGING, SICKNESS & DEATH BEHIND BARS
RELEASE AGING PEOPLE IN PRISON CAMPAIGN (RAPP) RESPONDS TO GOV. KATHY HOCHUL’S RE-ELECTION ON 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HOCHUL’S COMMITMENT TO EXPAND USE OF CLEMENCY
FOLLOWING HER HISTORIC VICTORY, AND CONTINUED STRENGTH OF SENATE AND ASSEMBLY MAJORITIES, CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR CALLS FOR PROMPT ACTION ON CLEMENCY AND PAROLE REFORM November 9, 2022: RAPP Statement
FAMILIES OF INCARCERATED NEW YORKERS HOLD STATEWIDE RALLIES CALLING FOR END TO CRUEL DOCCS PACKAGE BAN
Rallies in Six Regions Across New York State Call Attention to Financial and Emotional Toll of Package Ban, as well as Harms to Health of Incarcerated People September 27, 2022: …
Advocacy and Legal Groups Urge U.N. to Call for Abolition of Life Sentences in U.S.
The signatory organizations respectfully submit this letter alleging that the United States’ extreme prison sentencing policies and practices of life without parole (LWOP), life with parole (LWP), “virtual life,”1 and …
OBSERVING 3RD ANNIVERSARY OF IN-PRISON DEATH OF VAL GAITER, LONGEST-SERVING WOMAN IN NY PRISONS, LAWMAKERS, ADVOCATES, & LOVED ONES GATHER FOR VIGIL AND DEMAND JUSTICE
VAL DIED OF UNTREATED CANCER WHILE INCARCERATED AT BEDFORD HILLS, AFTER DOCCS MISDIAGNOSED HER WITH ACID REFLUX August 11, 2022: Press Release
ADVOCATES CALL ON GOV. HOCHUL TO FULFILL HER COMMITMENT TO FULLY STAFF THE PAROLE BOARD BEFORE THE END OF SESSION
June 1, 2022: Joint Statement of More Than 50 NYS Organizations
ADVOCATES & LAWMAKERS ERECT PRISON GRAVEYARD OUTSIDE NY CAPITOL, REMEMBER THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THOSE LOST, & DEMAND PAROLE JUSTICE
PARTICIPANTS HIGHLIGHT DATA PROJECTING THAT MORE THAN 70 PEOPLE WILL DIE IN PRISON DURING THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE RECESS IF LAWMAKERS DON’T ACT May 31, 2022: Press Release
RAPP CAMPAIGN RESPONDS TO CANADIAN SUPREME COURT STRIKING DOWN “LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE” SENTENCES
Today, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a ruling striking down any and all impositions of “life without parole” prison sentences (“LWOP”). The Court found such sentences to be “cruel …
FAITH LEADERS, NEW YORKERS WITH LOVED ONES LANGUISHING IN PRISON & OTHER LOCAL ADVOCATES HOLD FUNERAL PROCESSIONS OUTSIDE NY LEGISLATIVE LEADERS’ OFFICES FOR THE 80+ PEOPLE PROJECTED TO DIE IN NY PRISONS DURING COMING LEGISLATIVE RECESS
PARTICIPANTS CALLED ON SENATE LEADER STEWART-COUSINS AND ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CARL HEASTIE TO PASS ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BEFORE LEGISLATIVE SESSION CLOSES ON JUNE 2 May 20, 2022: …
Our Hearts Are With the People of Buffalo
May 17, 2022: Our Hearts Are With the People of Buffalo Dear RAPP Family, Yesterday, RAPP’s Director Jose Saldaña released the following statement in response to the white supremacist attack …
ASSEMBLY AGING COMMITTEE CHAIR RON KIM & OTHER LAWMAKERS TO JOIN LEADING OLDER ADULT SERVICE PROVIDERS TO CALL FOR PAROLE REFORM
AS PART OF A ‘PAROLE JUSTICE IS ELDER JUSTICE’ ADVOCACY DAY DURING OLDER AMERICANS’ MONTH, SPEAKERS CALLED FOR PASSAGE OF THE ELDER PAROLE AND FAIR & TIMELY PAROLE BILLS May …