Governor’s criminal justice agenda includes eliminating bail for people charged with misdemeanors and non-violent felonies
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s criminal justice agenda has the support from many civil rights and criminal justice leaders across New York. The Reverend Al Sharpton, Hazel Dukes, the Anti-Defamation League and other leading civil rights and criminal justice advocates last week issued an open letter outlining their support for the Governor’s sweeping agenda.
The nation-leading reform measures will transform our criminal justice system by removing critical barriers and reaffirming our beliefs in fairness, opportunity and dignity for all, Cuomo said.
“New York is the beacon of progress and equal opportunity for the nation, and we must continue to lead the way forward by ensuring a safer, fairer criminal justice system,” Cuomo said. “The truth is that our Lady Justice is still not color blind and her scales are still not balanced. But together, we can break down the economic and racial inequities that have perpetuated for far too long – and continue our historic march towards a more equal society for all.”
The governor’s proposed legislation would:
• Eliminate monetary bail for people facing misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges;
• Expand the discovery process to include disclosure of information in a timely manner;
• Reduce unnecessary delays and adjournments in court proceedings;
• Ban all asset seizures, unless an arrest is made and enhance reporting requirements for local law enforcement and District Attorneys; and
• Improve the re-entry process for individuals transitioning from incarceration to their communities.
For more on Cuomo’s criminal justice proposal, click here.
