The problem: New York has a statewide jail crisis.
On any given day, more than 25,000 people — mostly poor people and people of color — are sitting in county jails. 67% of them haven’t been convicted of anything — they’re in jail because they can’t afford bail and aren’t guaranteed a speedy trial.
But even a few days in jail can cause people to lose their jobs, housing, custody of children, and even their lives.
The jail crisis is separating families and devastating lives — and it violates our Jewish values. When a system is unjust, when it perpetuates racism, it’s our responsibility to change it.
This year, there are three crucial legislative solutions that directly impacted communities are calling for:
- Bail reform to ensure that people are not locked up pre-trial because they’re poor.
- Speedy trial reform to protect the constitutional right to a speedy trial and ensure people’s cases are not needlessly dragged out for months and years, and
- Discovery law reform to ensure defendants have thorough and timely access to evidence about their case, which protects against wrongful convictions and wrongful plea deals, as well as ensures the constitutional right to a fair trial.
Together these measures would reform New York’s jail crisis this year.
Governor Cuomo has expressed a commitment to help solve New York’s jail crisis — but his proposed legislation falls short of the reforms that those most affected are calling for.
That’s why we’re calling on Governor Cuomo and our state legislature to support gold standard bail reform, speedy trial reform, and discovery law reform. When they do, New York will be national leader in criminal justice reform, and model how we can resist President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ regressive ‘law and order’ agenda.
Will you sign the petition to Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature and spread the word?
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