Save Lives & Urge Parole Justice Passage in New York!

While New York has recently seen a steady decline in the overall prison population, the number of older people in prison and those serving lengthy prison sentences has skyrocketed. New York now holds more than 10,000 older people in prison and has the fifth highest population of those serving life sentences in the country. Families and entire communities of those aging and despairing behind bars throughout our state have pushed for needed changes for decades. There are two bills working their way through the New York State Legislature that would bring about these long-called for parole reforms.

1. Fair and Timely Parole Bill (S307/A162) would ensure that parole release is based on rehabilitation and current risk to public safety, and see that parole laws are centered around the values of redemption and transformation, not retribution and vengeance.
2. Elder Parole Bill (S2423/A2035) would make anyone over the age of 55 who served 15 years in prison eligible for a parole hearing. It does not guarantee release, simply ensures hearings are granted to the noted incarcerated population.

Ron Dennis, a Syracuse Community Leader with Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign and a VOCAL-NY Leader who was incarcerated for 36 years in New York State, spoke to the benefits of S307/A162. "Fair and Timely Parole is a good bill because it would take away the ability from the parole board from hitting you just because of the nature of your crime. It would give folks an opportunity to do their time, improve themselves, then get out of prison."

Assemblyman Tony Simone (D-Manhattan/AD75), on S2423/A2035; "If we really believed in true economic justice, we would not waste all this money imprisoning folks until their last years of life. They should not finish their lives in a prison cell.

Taken together, these two measures would make significant progress towards ending mass incarceration, promoting public safety, and re-connecting families and communities. Felony Murder Elimination project looks to our New York-based advocates to help move these bills through the State Legislature - and, if you're not based in New York but know someone who is, pass on this information and help them advocate as New York voters for these fair and reasonable parole reforms.

You can use this Parole Justice Social Media toolkit for sample graphics and posts to spread the word on your social media channels. Additionally, if you can send an email to New York State Legislators and demand they vote on #ParoleJusticeNY.

Passing these two bills in a fair and inclusive way allows New Yorkers to pass legislation that reflects their values of mercy, compassion and fairness, while saving taxpayer dollars that can be re-invested in the communities that benefit the families of New York.