“New York needs to do better; aging and elderly people shouldn’t be left behind as younger people continue to benefit from the state’s overall decline in incarceration. The state can begin by making these further changes:

• Seat more people on the board to combat understaffing and dismissing those who abuse and misuse their positions

• End the use of the “nature of the crime” as a factor in parole decisions

• Give more weight to people’s accomplishments while incarcerated

• Institute a meaningful presumption of release at first eligibility

• Acknowledge the fact that elderly people pose no substantial risk to public safety.“

Prison Policy Initiative

November 1, 2018