New York — Judges — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

Advocates for Aging Prisoners Look to Force a Debate on Parole

“Decades outside of society can have stark consequences for those who eventually gain freedom: Incarcerated elders lag behind in terms of health, finances and support networks. Despite this, reforms that could get parole-eligible elders a hearing before New York state’s parole board – a step toward having more people leave prison before they’re physically frail and giving them more time to acclimate to society – have been shelved repeatedly, even this year during a legislative session packed with criminal justice reforms.“

City Limits

August 20, 2019

ParolePhillip ReevesAugust 20, 2019Elderly Incarceration, City Limits, New YorkComment

Mentally Ill Prisoners Are Held Past Release Dates, Lawsuit Claims

‘On paper, a 31-year-old man found to have serious mental illnesses was released from a New York state prison in September 2017 after serving 10 years behind bars for two robberies. But in reality, the man, who asked to be identified by his initials C.J., still wakes up each day inside a maximum-security prison in Stormville. Though he is technically free, he is still confined to a cell because of a Kafkaesque bureaucratic dilemma: The state requires people like him to be released to a supportive housing facility, but there is not one available.‘

New York Times

January 23, 2019

SentencingPhillip ReevesJanuary 23, 2019New YorkComment

New York State’s elderly prison boom: An update

“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

ParolePhillip ReevesNovember 1, 2018Prison Policy Initiative, New YorkComment

The cynical, misguided pushback on New York's Parole Board

“Let’s abandon this politics of fear that trades on the pain of crime victims and surrenders to the bullying of police unions. Legislators should instead live up to their own stated values and respect the rule of law, as Parole Board members do when they prioritize reconciliation over retribution, and give victims what they deserve: alternatives to mere punishment, an investment in communities most affected by crime, and meaningful opportunities for healing.“

New York Daily News

October 1, 2018

ParolePhillip ReevesOctober 3, 2018New York Daily News, New YorkComment

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