Fighting new prison care package ban
December 1, 2022: Deirdre Bardolf, Assoc. Ed., Queens Chronicle
Rally to change New York state prison system held by incarceration advocates, former inmates
November, 21, 2022, News 12 Staff, News 12 Bronx
Statewide rallies held in New York call for better conditions in state prisons
November 21, 2022: News 12 Staff, News 12 Long Island
Gov Hochul fails to fulfill clemency reform promise, advocates say
Since assuming office last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul has not delivered on a promise to grant clemency at a higher rate than her predecessors, say advocates of criminal justice reform…
November 17, 2022: Arun Venugopal, Gothamist
While some clemency reforms quietly take shape, advocates look to gov for more
November 16, 2022: Jacob Kaye, Queens Daily Eagle
Women Bear the Brunt of New York’s Prison Care Package Ban
November 15, 2022: Molly Hagan, The Appeal
Zeldin Threat Passed, Criminal Justice Reformers Ready to Push Hochul
November 11, 2022, Reuven Blau,The City
Out of Prison, Meat in the Game: Anthony Dixon vs the Matrix
November 6, 2022, susie day, CounterPunch+
Proposed rules on packages, mail to Rikers detainees draw fire; NYC seeks changes to stem drugs flowing to jails
November 5, 2022, Graham Rayman, New York Daily News
Costs of incarceration rise as inflation squeezes inmates, families
October 17, 2022: Casey Quinlan, AlbanyHerald.com
A New York City rapper turned himself in for murder 13 years ago, now his prosecutor wants him freed
October 11, 2022, Samantha Max, Gothamist
‘A survival lifeline’: Families decry ban on care packages in NY prisons
September 27, 2022: Michelle Bocanegra, Gothamist
Human Rights Groups Urge UN to Call for Abolition of “Death by Incarceration”
September 15, 2022: Marjorie Cohn, Truthout
Spencer Platt / Getty Images
Prisoner Advocates Turn to the UN to End Extreme Prison Sentences
In a sharply worded complaint to UN special rapporteurs submitted on Thursday, advocacy groups call for an end to “death by incarceration” sentencing in the US
September 15, 2022: Victoria Law, The Nation
As summers get hotter, incarcerated people swelter inside NY prisons
August 31, 2022, Eduardo Cuevas, lohud.
New York’s ageing prisoners languish with poor medical care and little hope
Advocates in New York hope the case of Valerie Gaiter, who died in prison after 40 years behind bars, will help bring reform
August 20, 2022: Gloria Oladipo,The Guardian
Heart Failure: Medical Runaround Keeps Man Locked in State Prison Two Years After Being Paroled
August 7, 2022: Reuven Blau, The City
The Resounding Right of Mutulu Shakur to Die in Freedom
July 31, 2022: susie day, CounterPunch+
Governor Hochul’s ‘Rolling’ Clemency Process Has Set Just One Person Free
July 25, 2022: Victoria Law, Hell Gate
Former convicts deserve better
July 24, 2022: Eddie Gibbs, NY Daily News
Gibbs is the first and only formerly incarcerated member of the Legislature, representing East Harlem in the NY State Assembly
Advocates question Hochul’s unfulfilled promise to staff parole board
July 11, 2022: Kate Lisa, NYS Spectrum News 1
The Graying of America’s Prison Population
June 23, 2022: Audrey Nielson, The Crime Report
New York parole reformers, after seeing their policy push stall, now look past the November elections
June 23, 2022: Arun Venugopal, Gothamist
Arun Venugopal / Gothamist
Will a Judge Force Cancer-Stricken Black Elder Mutulu Shakur to Die Behind Bars?
June 22, 2022: Natasha Lennard, The Intercept
Photo: Courtesy of Friends and Family of Dr. Shakur
I Joined the Parole Board to Make a Difference. Now I Call It ‘Conveyor Belt Justice.’
Between the grueling schedule, copious paperwork, abrupt hearings and risk-averse colleagues, prison reformer Carol Shapiro realized the New York parole system was dysfunctional by design
June 17, 2021: Carol Shapiro as told to Beth Schwartzapfel, The Marshall Project
Uptick in crime helps kill 2 New York parole bills
June 6, 2022: Susan Arbetter, Spectrum News/Capital Tonight
What’s In, What’s Out: 2022 State Legislative Session Ends with Major Policy Decisions
June 4, 2022: Ethan Geringer-Sameth, Gotham Gazette
Protestors erect prison graveyard outside New York Capitol amid prison crisis
June 1, 2022: Isabel Song Beer, AMNY
ALBANY: Activists Demand Parole Justice
CBS 6: More than 70 New Yorkers, disproportionately Black elders, are projected to die in prison during the legislative recess if lawmakers don’t act. We’ve got enough support to pass Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole but we need @AndreaSCousins & @CarlHeastie to call a vote...
May 31, 2022: J.T. Fetch, CBS 6 News, WRGB Albany
Commentary: A victim and a man doing time for murder agree – we need to end violence
May 26, 2022: Kathleen Pequeño and Leroy Taylor, Times Union
Freed from a double-life sentence, a long-imprisoned New Yorker urges Albany to find relief for others
May 19, 2022, Arun Venugopal, Gothamist
ARUN VENUGOPAL/GOTHAMIST
How the pandemic affected incarcerated people and their loved one
While incarcerated people were left to suffer behind prison walls during the first waves of the pandemic, their families were left to worry in the dark
May 16, 2022: Aiyuba Thomas and Tommaso Bardelli, Prism
Advocates for parole reform make a pitch to lawmakers in Albany
May 11, 2022: Arun Venugopal, Gothamist
Arun Venugopal / Gothamist
New York’s longest serving inmate who murdered 14-year-old granted parole
May 10, 2022: Panagiotis Argitis, Dan Gross, RochesterFirst.com/WROC
The Past Doesn’t Change But People Absolutely Do
May 9, 2022: Melissa Tanis, Amplified Voices: Criminal Legal Reform Advocates with Lived Experience (Spotify podcast)
Parole justice will be in focus at Bedford Playhouse
May 6, 2022: Jeff Morris, The Record-Review
The Aging of the US Prison Population: A Public Health Crisis
May, 2022: Jonathan S. Bor, HealthAffairs.org (Health Affairs, vol 41, no.5)
Another Voice: New York criminal law must value the possibilities of redemption
April 29, 2022: Amber Vlangas, The Buffalo News
Elder Parole proposal draws applause and jeers
April 29. 2022: Adam Chodak, RochesterFirst.com / WROC
Lawmakers and advocates push for parole reform as legislative session comes to a close
April 29, 2022: Spectrum News Staff, Spectrum News 1
Op-Ed: We must provide more support to victims & survivors
April 26, 2022: New York State Assemblyperson Anna Kelles, The Ithaca Voice
Advocates push for three bills to end cycle of violence
April 25, 2022: Amal Tlaige, myChamplainValley.com
Crime victims groups push parole overhaul in New York
Signers on the letter first shared with POLITICO argued that victims are not always served by the harshest punishments
April 25, 2022: Erin Durkin, POLITICO Pro
Don’t speak for crime victims — just listen to us
April 24, 2022: Luz Marquez Bembow, The Riverdale Press
Advocates rally for passage of elder parole reform in Rochester
April 20, 2022: Spectrum News Staff, Rochester, Spectrum News 1
12 Issues to Watch in Albany’s Post-Budget Legislative Session
April 20, 2022: Samar Khurshid, Gotham Gazette
Instead of Punishment, You Need a Movement: Why RAPP Leaves No One Behind
April 8, 2022: susie day, Jose Saldaña, Laura Whitehorn, Verso Blog
Eleventh-hour push to prevent changes to state’s bail laws
April 6, 2022, Mary Rink and Evelyn F. Preston, Gazette staff writers, The Legislative Gazette
Parole Justice Now: Confronting Death by Incarceration in New York
March 22, 2022: Jonah Walters, Nonprofit Quarterly
More crimes to be eligible for bail in Gov. Hochul’s reported bail reform reboot
March 18, 2022: Chase Houle, 13/ABC/WHAM
Senior citizens serving federal sentences have fallen through the cracks
March 18, 2022: Carrie Johnson, NPR/WNYC
Letter: Endless incarceration not the answer
March 11, 2022: Chel Miller, Times Union
Another Voice: State should grant parole to people who don’t need to be in prison
February 24, 2022: Stephen Hart, The Buffalo News
Push for parole bills continues in New York
February 21, 2022: Kara Burnett, NY1/Spectrum News
Dinowitz needs to take fresh look at elder parole reform
February 20, 2022: Madeline Ritter, The Riverdale Press
Lawmakers must finally make elder parole reform
February 14, 2022: Jessica Altagracia Woolford, The Riverdale Press
Zombie Commissioners and Antiquated Structure Poses Hurdles for Parole Reform
Governor Kathy Hochul says she will finally fill vacancies on the state’s parole board, opening the potential to shift from presumptive detention
February 8, 2022: Nick Pinto, New York Focus/Bolts
Honoring Black History Month/Parole Justice
February 8, 2022: Lydia Kulbida, News10/ABC
Calls for Parole Justice
February 8, 2022: News 12/Brooklyn
Pushing for parole reform
Black History month is more than celebrating, it’s about looking at issues impacting people of color
February 8, 2022: Claudine Ewing, WGRZ
Rev. Al Sharpton to endorse Albany bills that would ease parole of older prisoners
February 7, 2022: Graham Rayman, New York Daily News
First COVID death confirmed at Greene Correctional Facility
January 25, 2022: Ted Remsnyder, NNY360
Let more aging New Yorkers out of prison
January 25, 2022: THERESA GRADY, JEANNIE COLON, LISETTE NIEVES and NAWANNA TUCKER, NY Daily News
Union awaits prison visitation results
January 22, 2022: Ted Remsnyder, HudsonValley360/Columbia-Greene Media
Progressive Lawmakers Push ‘Justice Agenda’ in Albany for 2022 Session
January 20, 2022: Darrell Camp, new york NOW/wmht
Op-Ed: From Dr. King’s Dream to Parole Justice
January 19, 2022: Dr. Deborah Jenkins, Norwood News
Photo by Christian Rice via Flickr
New York criminal justice advocates warn of parole ‘crisis’
January 19, 2022: Tim Williams / Susan Arbetter, State of Politics / Capital Tonight, Spectrum News
Healing happens through redemption, not endless punishment. Reform parole in NY (Guest Opinion by Clifford Ryan)
January 17, 2022: Clifford Ryan, Syracuse.com
Caucus lawmakers outline 2022 agenda for Albany
January 17, 2022: Nick Reisman, Spectrum News1
State comptroller: Aging prison population means higher costs for New York
January 13, 2022: The Citizen staff, The Citizen/auburnpub.com
DiNapoli: New York’s prison population has gotten smaller and older
January 13, 2022: Nick Reisman, NY1/Spectrum News
Criminal justice advocates, lawmakers call for passage of parole reform bills
January 12, 2022: Thomas O’Neil-White, WBFO/NPR
Advocates on both sides speak to parole reform bills
January 11, 2022: Liz Bishop, WRGB/CBS
State Lawmakers Push for Bills that Grant Parole to Older, Low-Risk Inmates
Lawmakers, people with loved ones in prison, and two DAs yesterday called for passage of the Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole bill
January 5, 2022: Cheryl Wills, Spectrum NY1
Manhattan DA Bragg Tells Staff to Stop Prosecuting Certain Offenses
January 4, 2022: Gwynne Hogan, WNYC/Gothamist
Lawmakers & advocates discuss parole reforms ahead of new legislative session
January 4, 2022: J.T. Fetch, WRGB Albany/News 6
Parole reform should top legislative agenda, advocates say
January 4, 2022: Rachel Vick, Queens Daily Eagle
Inmate at Attica dies of COVID-19
December 29, 2021: WGRZ Staff, WGRZTV
Final reprieve: Hochul grants clemency to 10 individuals before the New Year
December 29, 2021: Dean Moses, AMNY
Hochul calls for reforms as she grants clemency to 10 people, Advocates ‘heartbroken’ by the lack of breadth of Hochul’s actions
December 24, 2021: Joshua Solomon, Times Union
New York’s Prisons Are Turning Into Senior-Citizen Centers
December 23, 2021: Errol Louis, Intelligencer, New York magazine
All They Want for the Holidays Is for Their Loved Ones to Come Home From Prison
December 23, 2021: Victoria Law, Truthout
Clemency Seekers Renew Their Hope to Be Home for the Holidays
December 23, 2021: Patrick Dodson, Albany Proper
Commentary: Parole bills offer a path to healing and to gender justice
December 15, 2021: Anna Kelles and Jessica González-Rojas, Times Union
Free Mutulu Campaign Celebrates Human Rights Day With A ‘Fête For Freedom’
December 10, 2021: Anoa Changa, NewsOne.com
Criminal justice reformers want to go beyond bail
December 7, 2021: Rebecca C. Lewis, City & State New York
A Terrible Catch-22
December 6, 2021: David Leonhardt, New York Times
Eligible for Release in 2016, Mutulu Shakur Remains Behind Bars With Worsening Cancer
December 2, 2021: Natasha Lennard, The Intercept
‘Elder Parole’ advocates hone in on majority Senate support
December 1, 2021: David Lombardo, The Capitol Pressroom
Advocates, Jumaane Williams urge Hochul to use clemency power
November 24, 2021: Nick Reisman, Spectrum NY1
AMNY Exclusive: Families of incarcerated set rally on Tuesday for fair parole laws
November 22, 2021: Dean Moses, AMNY
How Former Prisoners View the Parole System
November 17, 2021: Film by Jon Miller and Zach Russo; text by Sumit Poudyal, The New Yorker
Parole reform isn’t done
November 17, 2021: NY Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest, AMNY Op-Ed
On Rikers Island, a Doctor Who Tends to the Oldest and Sickest
November 12, 2021: Ted Alcorn, New York Times
Advocacy Group Demands Gov. Hochul Increase Clemencies as NY Announces Plan to Close 6 Prisons
November 11, 2021: Amy Goodman, Democracy Now
Advocates want Hochul to use clemency powers for older inmates
November 10, 2021: Henry Rosoff, News 10
Why New York Is Closing 6 Prisons
November 9, 2021: Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times
Criminal justice reform advocates call on Gov. Hochul to grant more clemencies than Cuomo
November 9, 2021: Noah Goldberg, NY Daily News
Prison officials to close 6 facilities in New York state
November 8, 2021: Nick Reisman, Spectrum News 1
New York to Close 6 Prisons, Including Seneca County Drug Treatment Center
November 8, 2021: Jeremy Boyer, Auburn Pub
New York state will close six prisons, citing 31-year low in inmate population
November 8, 2021: Denis Slattery and Graham Rayman, New York Daily News
Southport Correctional Facility among 6 NY prisons to close in 2022
November 8, 2021: Tiffany Cusaac-Smith, The Evening Tribune
Jose Saldaña to NYT: Parole Aging Prisoners
November 2, 2021: Jose Saldaña, New York Times
…
More Than A Number
Older New Yorkers are dying in state prisons at an alarming rate. Once and for all, they need to come home to their families.
October 27, 2021: Wilfredo Laracuente, Inquest
Morir en una prisión neoyorquina, la nueva pena de muerte
October 25, 2021: Agencia EFE
Disabled and Abandoned in New York State Prisons
October 25, 2021: Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg, The Nation
Let the Punishment Fit the Crime
October 23, 2021: Ben Austen and Khalil Gibran Muhammad, The New York Times
NAACP’s Hazel Dukes calls on Gov. Hochul to back New York parole reforms
October 18, 2021: Denis Slattery, New York Daily News
New report on prison deaths comes as New York lawmakers push for reforms
October 15, 2021: Ashley Hupfl, WAMC Northeast Public Radio
About 1,300 died in NY state prisons in the last decade, research shows
October 13, 2021: Tiffany Cusaac-Smith, lohud.
Report outlines death rates for older adults incarcerated in New York
October 12, 2021: Rachel Vick, Queens Daily Eagle
More older New Yorkers dying in prison — even as overall deaths drop
October 12, 2021: Noah Goldberg, New York Daily News
Report says New York State prison system has created ‘a new death penalty’
October 11, 2021: Gloria Pazmino, Spectrum NY1 Exclusive
Elderly prisoners pose little risk, so why won’t the state let some of them free?
October 2, 2021: The Editorial Board, Boston Globe
Ending New York’s Love Affair with Life Sentences
September 20, 2021: Anthony Dixon, Gotham Gazette
Gov. Hochul should use her powers to end harsh prison sentences (Guest Opinion by Martin Garbus)
September 16, 2021: Martin Garbus, syracuse.com
Women in New York prisons complain of contaminated water after Hurricane Ida
September 14, 2021: Char Adams, NBC News
Attica prison riot hardened attitudes on incarceration but also planted seeds for reform
September 13, 2021: Tiffany Cusaac-Smith, lohud.
50 years later, the struggle of Attica continues. New York must do better
September 9, 2021: Jose Saldaña, lohud.
A half-century after Attica, prisoners’ demands have not been met
September 8, 2021: Marvin Mayfield, New York Daily News
Parole advocates urge legislature to pass reform bills
September 1, 2021: Rachel Vick, Queens Daily Eagle
Advocates rally in Albany for parole reform bills
September 1, 2021: Kate Lisa, NNY360
Rally at Capitol urges passage of clean slate, parole justice bills
September 1, 2021: WRGB Staff, CBS6 Albany
“Extraordinary session” ready for Wednesday to tackle evictions
August 31, 2021: Joshua Solomon, Times Union
Thousands of prisoners have died of covid-19. Because of the ‘tough on crime era,’ there’s worse to come
August 26, 2021: Frank R. Baumgartner, Tamira Daniely, Kalley Huang, Patrice McGloin, Niharika Vattikonda, Kamryn Washington, Sydney Johnson, Allison Swagert, Alexander Love and Lyle May, Washington Post
Brian Benjamin is NY Gov. Kathy Hochul’s pick for lt. governor, sources say
August 25, 2021: Jon Campbell and Tiffany Cusaac-Smith, Times Herald-Record
David Gilbert, Ex-Weather Underground Member, Granted Clemency by Cuomo. Will Parole Board Free Him?
August 24, 2021: Amy Goodman, Steve Zeidman, Democracy Now!
Cuomo gives clemency to 6, including Brink’s heist driver
August 24, 2021: Associated Press, WWNY 7 News
Cuomo grants 6 more clemencies before leaving office
August 24, 2021: Jacob Kaye, Queens Daily Eagle
Despite Recent Batches Of Clemencies, Prison Reform Advocates Feel Let Down By Cuomo
August 24, 2021: Jim O’Grady, Gothamist
Advocates urge Cuomo to use clemency power during his final days in office
August 20, 2021: Monica Espitia, Spectrum News/NY1
As Cuomo leaves office, advocates look to the new administration
August 20, 2021: Morgan McKay, Spectrum News/NY1
Cuomo grants clemency on his way out
August 18, 2021: Jacob Kaye, Queens Daily Eagle
In last days in office, Cuomo grants 10 clemencies. Could he have done more?
August 18, 2021: Tiffany Cusaac-Smith, lohud.
In Kathy Hochul, reform advocates see hope but proceed with caution
August 17, 2021: Tiffany Cusaac-Smith, Democrat & Chronicle
Op-ed: The next Manhattan DA must help fix the incarceration crisis
August 15, 2021: Mark Shervington, AM/NY
Activists hold vigil for man who died in prison after being denied parole
August 9, 2021: Jacob Kaye, Queens Daily Eagle
Lawmakers must reconvene and pass parole reform for community safety
July 30, 2021: TeAna Taylor, The Daily Gazette, Guest Column
Commentary: Gov. Cuomo, take the reins on elder parole reform
July 16, 2021: Steve Zeidman, Times Union
Advocating for Elder Parole and Release
July 13, 2021: Karl Shallowhorn interviews RAPP’s Donna Robinson, Color Me Healthy on Facebook
Survivors of Crime Can Speak for Ourselves – Pass Parole Reform
June 28, 2021: Melissa Tanis, AMNY
Parole reform can free inequality
June 26, 2021: Luz Marquez Benbow, Times Union
Parole reform advocates call for lawmakers to hold special session
June 25, 2021: Corina Cappabianca, NY Capitol News
United States: there’s an aging crisis in New York’s prisons and we need to solve it
June 16, 2021: Rodney Holcombe, Prison Insider
Suspenso hasta el último minuto por la aprobación de paquete de reforma judicial en la Legislatura de Nueva York
June 11, 2021: Fernando Martínez, El Diario
Advocates urge parole reform in final hours of New York’s legislative session
June 10, 2021: Rachel Vick, Queens Daily Eagle
New York’s elderly incarcerated population is growing—it’s time to let them go home
June 9, 2021: Tamar Sarai Davis, Prism News
Advocates for Parole Reform Camp Outside Capitol in Final Days of Session
June 9, 2021: Capital Region News
‘In There To Die:’ Astoria Mother Calls For Elder Parole Reform
June 9, 2021: Kayla Levy, Patch
Sleepout at Capitol supports parole reform bills
June 8, 2021: WRGB Staff, CBS6/Albany
Parole reform advocates camp outside New York State Capitol
June 8, 2021: Subrina Dhammi, WNYT News Channel 13
Campaign targets state parole system reform
June 7, 2021: Johairy Delacruz, Rochester Beacon
Final push for parole reforms head to New York Democratic leadership
June 7, 2021: Joshua Solomon, Times Union
Advocates continue to urge lawmakers to pass parole reform bills before session ends
June 7, 2021: Corina Cappabianca, Capitol News, WETM TV 18
Parole reform advocates rally at state Capitol
June 7, 2021: WNYT Staff, WNYT News Channel 13
Bills to watch in the final week of the 2021 legislative session
June 7, 2021: Rebecca C. Lewis, Zach Williams, City and State New York
NYS can make its parole laws more just
June 7, 2021: Julie Garcia, former district attorney of Essex County, Newsday / Opinion
NY lawmakers mull criminal justice bills as session wraps
June 6, 2021: Marina Villeneuve, Associated Press
New York Can’t Allow Its Prisons to Become Nursing Homes
June 6, 2021: Brie Williams, MD, Empire Report
Will this be the year for parole reform?
June 4, 2021, Morgan McKay, Spectrum News1 / Susan Arbetter, Capital Tonight
Activists sharpen call for parole reform
June 4, 2021: Kate Lisa, NNY360
Community groups rally for passage of parole justice, clean slate and New York for All legislation
June 3, 2021: midhudsonnews.com
NAACP join push for parole reform in New York
June 1, 2021: Denis Slattery, New York Daily News
Another Voice: Incarcerated people deserve a second chance at life
June 1, 2021: Deacon Jerome Wright, The Buffalo News
Billboard campaign seeks to push parole reform bills
June 1, 2021: Nick Reisman, State of Politics/Spectrum News
5 things to know as the legislative session ends in Albany
June 1, 2021: Nick Reisman, Spectrum News1
Aging and dying behind prison bars
May 31, 2021: Amy Fettig, New York Daily News
Lawmakers wrestle with parole bills as session deadline nears
May 30, 2021: Joe Mahoney, Niagara Gazette
Advocates push for parole reform that puts rehabilitation and release first
May 30, 2021: Atyia Collins, RochesterFirst/WROC
Families of elderly convicts call for parole bill
May 29, 2021: Charles Molineaux, WHECTV News10
Advocates push to reform parole system
May 29, 2021: Dan Schrack, WHAM/ABC
As Legislative Sessions Nears End, Lawmakers Prioritize Criminal Justice Reform Bills
May 28, 2021: Karen DeWitt, WSHU
Elder parole bill gives families with incarcerated loved ones hope for a second chance
May 28, 2021: Jayne Chacko, 13WHAM
Busy June planned for New York State Legislature
May 28, 2021: Karen DeWitt, WXXI News
Community members calling on New York State to pass several parole bills
May 28, 2021: News 4 Staff, WIVB4.com
Coverage of today’s New Rochelle rally for parole justice featuring the NAACP
May 27, 2021: Jonathan Gordon, News 12, via Twitter
Changes to New York’s parole laws under consideration
May 27, 2021: Nick Reisman, City of Albany/NY State of Politics
Families with incarcerated loved ones call on lawmakers to pass parole reform bills
May 25, 2021: News 12 Staff, news12: The Bronx
Prisoners and the Pandemic: Elderly, locked up, and at risk—the life and death of the incarcerated during Covid
May 2021: Tana Ganeva and Natalie Keyssar, Rolling Stone
Activists push for parole for elderly inmates
May 18, 2021: Jacob Kaye, Queens Daily Eagle
Forgetting And Forgotten: Older Prisoners Seek Release But Fall Through The Cracks
May 11, 2021: Carrie Johnson, WXXI News
…
Activists cry ‘bring them home’ at Hinchey’s office
May 6, 2021: Kate Lisa, HudsonValley360
Op-Ed | We must end death by incarceration
The death penalty has been banned in New York since 1984, but the new death penalty is long sentences without opportunity for parole. This is death-by-incarceration. Death-by-incarceration does not make our lives any safer, costs the state hundreds of millions of dollars a year, and it is an inhumane policy...
May 6, 2021: NY Senator Brad Hoylman, AMNY
…
Thousands of New Yorkers are in Prison for Life. These D.A. Candidates Want to Change That
Manhattan D.A. candidates vow to reduce lengthy sentences—but sharp differences between their approaches remain
April 28, 2021: Sam Mellins, New York Focus
Parole Reforms in State Needed
April 5, 2021: Jose Saldana, Albany Times-Union
After Half Century In Prison, Elderly Black Panther Should Not Be Left To Die
March 28, 2021: Natasha Lennard, The Intercept
Editorial: Parole needs reform
March 25, 2021: Times Union Editorial Board, Times Union
Why Crime Victims Joined the Fight for Parole Justice in New York
March 22, 2021: Victoria Law, The Appeal
Parole board’s focus on original crime suggests redemption has limits
March 21, 2021: Amanda Fries, Edward McKinley, Times Union
Advocates, NY lawmakers eye parole reform for women inmates
March 17, 2021: Robert Harding, AuburnPub.com
Meanwhile In Albany, Lawmakers Consider An Ambitious Array Of Criminal Justice Reforms
March 11, 2021: Christopher Robbins, Gothamist
Release Our Elderly from Prison
March 7, 2021: Silvia Blumenfeld, The Riverdale Press
Parole reforms would be worthwhile
March 5, 2021: Bernice Mennis, Albany Times-Union
With Cuomo ‘Reeling’ During Budget Season, State Lawmakers Are Poised To Take Power
March 2, 2021: Christopher Robbins, Gothamist
Parole reform is badly needed to save New Yorkers’ lives and reunite New York families
March 1, 2021: Michelle Lind, USA Today/lohud.com
Bronx Social Justice and Anti-Violence Forums: Release Aging People in Prison
March 1, 2021: Darren C. James interviews RAPP’s Jose Saldana, BronxNet Community TV
2021: February
“State Legislature moves to restore voting rights to parolees”
February 26, 2021: Rebecca C. Lewis, City & State New York / Criminal Justice
“Show Mercy to Prisoners Who Changed”
February 26, 2021: Barry Nobel, Newsday / Opinion
“Viewpoint: Parole reforms deserve Legislature’s support”
February 25, 2021: Barbara Treen, Times Union
“Parole reform ‘prioritizes fairness over fear’ (your letters)”
February 25, 2021: Yusuf Abdul-Qadir, syracuse.com
“High time to reform N.Y.’s parole system”
February 25, 2021: TeAna Taylor, Daily Gazette
…
2021: January
“New York lawmakers to make prison visits amid push for ‘justice roadmap’ and COVID vaccinations”
January 29, 2021: Denis Slattery, New York Daily News
“600 call for parole justice: ‘Virtual rally’ urges lawmakers for Elderly Parole bill”
January 28, 2021: Stephanie Rivas, News 10/ABC and News 8/RochesterFirst
“New York Democratic Super Majority Could Lead To Parole Reform”
January 27, 2021: Charles Lane, WSHU
“La Legislatura exigida a aprobar reformas de libertad condicional por avance de COVID y la crisis fiscal”
January 27, 2021: David Ramirez, El Diario
“Advocates Across New York State Are Calling for Prison Reform”
January 27, 2021: WIVBF Buffalo
…
2020
“Sen. Brian Benjamin we want Elder Parole consideration”
December 31, 2020: Theresa Moses, Amsterdam News
“Don’t let them die of COVID in prison”
December 31, 2020: Errol Louis, New York Daily News
“State prison visitations temporarily halted as Covid-19 infections surge”
December 30, 2020: Harold McNeil, The Buffalo News
“Advocates Urge Governor Cuomo to Use His Clemency Powers for Older Prisoners”
December 30, 2020: Shanel Dawson, Spectrum News/NY1
“Sick And Frail As COVID-19 Looms: Medical Parole Still Rare in New York State”
December 30, 2020: Cindy Rodriguez, Gothamist
“‘Forsaken Land:’ City and State Officials Mum on Covid Vaccination Plans for Incarcerated New Yorkers and Correction Officers”
December 29, 2020: Ethan Geringer-Sameth, Gotham Gazette
…
Article Highlights Parole Injustices
In their December 2, 2019 issue, The New Yorker magazine published “Prepping for Parole,” a 10,000-word article by Jennifer Gonnerman exposing some of the devastating problems with the New York State Parole Board. While we, the Parole Preparation Project, and so many others have pushed the Board to release more people from prison in recent years, they still continue to deny freedom to thousands of New Yorkers in prison and their families, and communities across New York State.
The article featured the incredible work our partners at Parole Prep do with currently incarcerated people serving parole-eligible life sentences. It also featured RAPP Director, Jose Saldana, RAPP co-founder Kathy Boudin, and the devastating story of Richard Lloyd Dennis, a currently incarcerated elder who the Parole Board has denied release to 13 times.
2019
“Thomas Kearney talking about Release Aging People in Prison”
December 31, 2019: Hudson Mohawk Magazine, MediaSanctuary on Soundcloud
“Interviews With Five Aging NY State Prisoners Hoping for Clemency: ‘Who I Am Now Is Not Who I Was’”
December 24, 2019: Stephanie Chukwuma, Trone Dowd, Jeffery Harrell, Brenda Léon, Hannah Miller, Rosemary Misdary, Rachel Rippetoe, Maria Robins-Somerville, Sean Sanders, and Annie Todd, The Gothamist
“Ailing Inmate Pins Clemency Hopes on Cuomo”
December 23, 2019: Reuven Blau, The City
“Clemency advocates call on Cuomo to release long-serving inmates”
December 21, 2019: David Brand, Queens Daily Eagle
“They’ve been through New York’s parole system. That’s why they want to change it.”
December 20, 2019: Noah Goldberg, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
…
2018
“Officer’s alleged assault on 86-year-old inmate shines light on graying prison population”
December 29, 2018: Boston Herald
“Elderly inmates on the rise in Massachusetts, nationally”
December 29, 2018: Jonathan Ng, Boston Herald
“Prison advocates push Cuomo to commute sentences of domestic violence survivors and elderly prisoners”
December 24, 2018: Reuven Blau, New York Daily News
“Research analysis: Identifying elderly inmates’ healthcare needs”
December 19, 2018: C1 Staff, CorrectionsOne
“Bill Aims to Improve Compassionate Release of Prisoners”
December 19, 2018: Maui Now
…
2017
“With Most Older Inmates Facing Homelessness Upon Release, Dromm Passes Legislation Aimed to Bring Them Help”
December 26, 2017: Christian Murray, Jackson Heights Post
“Aging inmates: Correctional Service of Canada has strategy in the works”
December 19, 2017: Lauren Krugel, National Post/The Canadian Press
“Dromm, RAPP Campaign Hail Passage of CARE Act”
December 19, 2017: New York City Council
“Our Prison Population is Getting Older and Older”
December 11, 2017: Michelle Chen, The Nation
“On the Count: Parole and Elders Update”
December 9, 2017: Alejo Rodriguez on WBAI.org (click here to hear the entire show)
…
2016
“‘Cruel and Unusual Punishment’: Texas judge orders count of heat-related prison deaths”
December 30, 2016: RT360
“Sick inmates costing St. Joseph County more in 2016”
December 29, 2016: Suzanne Spencer, WSBT22 (Indiana)
“The Case for Clemency”
December 28, 2016: Erroll Lewis, Inside City Hall, NY1 Online (with Hawk Newsome, Alan Roskoff, and Kathryn Erbe; 10-minutes video)
“Reducing Prison population only way to save significant cash”
December 28, 2016: Mike Vasilinda, Capitol News Service (FL)
“New study shows Oklahoma prisons among the most dangerous”
December 28, 2016: Sean Murphy, Associated Press/The Daily Progress
…
2015
“When Dying Alone in Prison is Too Harsh a Sentence”
December 28, 2015: Rachael Bedard, The New York Times
“Lawmakers Consider Options for Aging Prisoners, Including Nursing Home Care”
December 27, 2015: Elizabeth Hewitt, VTDigger.org
“Release Aging People in Prison Campaign”
December 7, 2015: Law & Disorder Radio (audio)
“My Life After 44 Years in Prison”
November 2015: AlJazeera.com
“New Report Highlights Growing Number of Aging People in Prison”
November 20, 2015: Kanya d’Almeida, RH Reality Check
…
2014
“Release Aging People in Prison/RAPP: Challenging the Punishment Paradigm”December 10, 2014: Mujahid Farid and Laura Whitehorn: The Roots of Mass Incarceration: Locking Up Black Dissidents and Punishing the Poor/Socialism and Democracy special issue
“Ex-Prisoners Are Committing Fewer Crimes That Land Them Back in Jail, Authorities Say”
December 3, 2014: Jon Campbell, The Village Voice
Mujahid Farid on elders and youth behind bars (mp3), with Vanessa McKinney
November 19, 2014: Professor Ricky Jones: Unlocked, Radio WHCR 90.3 fm
“Clemency for Silver-Haired Cons is a Golden Cost-Saver”
November 5, 2014: Editorial, Orlando Sentinel
“DC’s Forgotten Residents”
November 2, 2014: A Voice From the Inside
“By 2030, American Prisons Will Be Filled With Grandmas and Grandpas”
October 27, 2014: Kate Cox, The Nation
“Nursing Homes Behind Bars”
September 28, 2014: Editorial Board, The New York Times
“You’re Old & Finally Out of Prison. What Happens Now?”
September 18, 2014: Victoria Law, The Gothamist
“Even Model NYS Inmates Face Steep Barriers to Parole”
September 17, 2014: Bill Hughes, City Limits
“Mohaman Koti, 87-Year-Old Prison Inmate, Granted Parole After 37 Years”
September 16, 2014: Albert Samaha, The Village Voice
“What’s Wrong With This Picture? Elderly People in NY’s Prisons”
September 12, 2014: Peter Wagner, Prison Policy Initiative
“Begging Cuomo for Clemency”
September 12, 2014: Editorial Board, The Bedford/Pound Ridge Record Review
“On Primary Eve, Cuomo Pressed at Home on Prisoner Clemency”
September 7, 2014: Nathan Riley, Gay City News
(Note: Laura Whitehorn, quoted in the article, spoke as representative of RAPP)
“Candle Light Vigil Near Gov. Cuomo’s Home Calls Attention to Clemency”September 6, 2014: Fios 1 News (video)
“At Conference, Experts Examine Incarceration as a Public Health Issue”
June 6, 2014: Gwen McClure, Juvenile Justice Information Exchange
Prison Voices: Mujahid Farid, Jamie Fellner, Mark Mauer, Edward Hammock (audio)
April 10, 2014: Cory Fischer-Hoffman, Wave Farm/WGXC-Hudson
RAPP’s Fight for “Basic Fairness and Decency”April 9, 2014: Nation Inside
Organization Aims to Get Elderly Prisoners Who Have Served Sentences Released (video)
March 2, 2014: Cheryl Wills, NY1 News
U.S. Prison System Resembling Huge Geriatrics Ward
Feb. 26, 2014: Kanya d’Almeida, Inter Press Service
New York’s Broken Parole System (onsite version)
Feb. 16, 2014: Editorial Board, The New York Times
“If the Risk Is Low, Let Them Go”: Efforts to Resolve the Growing Numbers of Aging Behind Bars
Jan. 19, 2014: Victoria Law, Truthout
Discussion between host Jim Vrettos (Host, The Rebbe… Radio Show), Soffiyah Elijah (E.D., Correctional Ass’n of New York) and Mujahid Farid (Director of RAPP)
Jan. 6, 2014: The Rebbe, The Radical, And The Rev Radio Show
2013
Calls Grow to Release Aging People from Prison Who Pose No Public Safety Threat
Dec. 23, 2013, Part 2: Democracy Now!
Text & video interview with Amy Goodman (Host, Democracy Now!); Soffiyah Elijah, Executive Director, Correctional Association of New York; Mujahid Farid, Director of RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)
“If the Risk Is Low, Let Them Go”: Elderly Prison Population Skyrockets Despite Low Risk to Society
Dec. 23, 2013, Part 1: Democracy Now!
Text & video interview with Amy Goodman & Renée Feltz (Hosts, Democracy Now!); Soffiyah Elijah, Executive Director, Correctional Association of New York; Mujahid Farid, Director of RAPP (Release Aging People in Prison)
He’s Over 80, but a Convict Gets No Parole
October 8, 2013: Jim Dwyer, The New York Times
Editorial: Writing Off Lives
September 29, 2013: The Editorial Board, The New York Times
“Release Aging Prisoners Project”
September 2013: Herman Bell, FreeHermanBell.org
The Correctional Association’s New Program to Release Aged Prisoners
September 23, 2013: Law and Disorder Radio Show
Text and audio interview with Laura Whitehorn, Mujahid Farid
Op-Ed: Graying Prisoners
August 18, 2013: Jamie Fellner, New York Times
“Prisons Get Grayer, But Efforts to Release the Dying Lag”
August 6, 2013: Emma Quail, City Limits
“Aging prisoners’ costs put systems nationwide in a bind”
July 11, 2013: Kevin Johnson and H. Darr Belser, USA Today
New York State Legislature Joint Resolution Commendation J2416-2013
June 20, 2013: Senate/Assembly of New York State
“Spike in aging prison inmates creates tax turmoil in N.J.”
March 31, 2013: Jean Mikle, The Asbury Park Press
2012
“The State of Aging: Prisoners and Compassionate Release Programs”
August 23, 2012: Tina Maschi, The Huffington Post
2011
“NYSACDL Supports Call for Parole Reform”
Winter, 2011: New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Atticus
“Senior Power: ‘Graying prisons,’ early release, and ‘assisted living’
January 3, 2011: Helen Ripper Wheeler, The Berkeley Daily Planet
2010
“Few Texas Inmates Get Released on Medical Parole”
June 3, 2010: Emily Ramshaw, The Texas Tribune
2006
“Growing old behind bars”
May 8, 2006: Dana DiFillipo, Philadelphia Daily News
1997
Aging Behind Bars
July 13, 1997: David C. Anderson, The New York Times Magazine