Brooklyn lawmakers and advocates rally for parole justice in Albany

March 5, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Assembly Member Maritza Davila and Assembly Member Brian Cunningham stand united in front of a determined crowd of advocates and protesters, rallying for the passage of the Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole bills, in Albany.
Photo courtesy of Release Aging People in Prison Campaign

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Lawmakers and advocates from Brooklyn, including individuals who were formerly incarcerated, held a press conference in Albany on Monday to discuss the importance of parole justice for families in the state.

Kenny Jean-Baptiste, a member of the Brooklyn Community Board 18 and formerly incarcerated, highlighted the value of seeing individuals beyond their past mistakes.

“Everyone deserves an opportunity to excel in life,” said Kenny Jean-Baptiste, member of Brooklyn Community Board 18, who previously served 18 years in prison. “Let’s not put impossible obstacles in people’s way. We should not be judged solely on our worst day. We are more than that and we deserve to be seen for our whole selves. That’s what parole justice means to me.”

Julia Salazar, the State Senate Crime Victims, Crime & Correction chair and the lead sponsor of the Fair & Timely Parole Act, emphasized collaborative efforts to address issues of mass incarceration and violence.

“It’s an honor to work with so many people impacted by mass incarceration who are in the trenches leading efforts to make Brooklyn safer and more just,” Salazar said. “Breaking cycles of violence requires all of us, working together, to win investments in communities, meet people’s needs, and promote true transformation and healing. Extreme sentences and endless incarceration do not keep us safe. This year, we have to pass Fair & Timely Parole and Elder Parole to bring fairness to New York’s parole system and begin to heal our communities.”

Anthony Dixon, from Brooklyn and founder of Survivors of the System, advocated for the proposed bills, citing their alignment with values of justice, compassion and redemption. “By supporting these bills, we are advocating for fairness in our legal system,” Dixon said.

Assembly Member Maritza Davila, the lead sponsor of the Elder Parole bill, discussed the importance of giving older incarcerated individuals a chance for parole consideration, reflecting on the changes they have made.

“Our elder incarcerated individuals deserve an opportunity to be heard by the parole board to help them identify the progress that they have made, some of whom have been in prison since they were young,” Davila said. “It’s a very unfortunate reality and most individuals have been deprived of a fair process to be considered for release. This bill is a step forward to end mass incarceration, reunite families, and give inmates the opportunity to return and integrate into society.”

Other Assembly Members, including Brian Cunningham and Jo Anne Simon, also expressed their support for the movement towards parole justice, with Cunningham emphasizing the capacity for personal change and Simon advocating for the opportunity for parole as a form of justice.

Robert Webster, representing the Fortune Society, shared his personal experience of 35 years in incarceration and the ongoing need for parole reform.

The press conference highlighted the community’s efforts, particularly those of formerly incarcerated New Yorkers, in various roles such as violence interrupters and re-entry counselors. It also brought attention to the disproportionate impact of mass incarceration on Brooklyn’s Black and Brown communities, with a call to action for passing the Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole bills to address these issues.

The push for these bills is supported by a wide coalition, including crime victim advocacy groups and public defenders, aiming to reform New York State’s parole system to offer fairer opportunities for release based on current evaluations of incarcerated individuals.