Pretrial criminal justice research commissioned by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) has thrown new light on how critical the earliest decisions made in the criminal justice system may be for public safety, fairness, and cost effectiveness.
Category Archives: Articles of Interest
Next Step for New York College-in-Prison Program that Turned My Life Around
“I am proof there can be no rehabilitation in prison without education, and that restoring Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding for college-in-prison participants must be a top priority if New York is serious about building safer communities.” – Stacy Burnett
The Growing Racial Disparity in Prison Time
Criminal justice researchers say people of all races still aren’t treated equally when it comes to one important measure: time served behind bars. While arrest and prison admission rates are dropping for black people—in 2016, black people went to state prison at five times the rate of white people, down from eight times in 2000—they are spending longer in prison than their white peers.
Racial Disparity in Sentencing
The long-standing racial disparity in rates of incarceration has begun to narrow in the early part of the 21st century, but a wide-ranging new study shows a stubbornly persistent inequality in the racial composition of the nation’s state prison systems.
Gettin’ Out of Jail
Up to 88% of the people arrested in the city will be released without bail while their cases
are pending under changes to the state’s criminal justice laws coming on Jan. 1, according
to the state Office of Court Administration.
N.Y.C. Votes to Close Rikers. Now Comes the Hard Part.
The City Council approved a sweeping $8 billion plan to close the troubled jail complex and replace it with four smaller jails by 2026, an aggressive timeline that will prove challenging.
Landmark Plan to Replace Rikers Island Jail Is Approved
The New York City Council on Thursday voted to approve a sweeping plan to replace the Rikers Island jail complex with four smaller neighborhood jails by 2026 to accommodate the city’s goal of shrinking its inmate population.
America Has a Health-Care Crisis — in Prisons
Privatization and years of inadequate resources have left the incarcerated population with abysmal medical care.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio Supports Closing Rikers Island Jail
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday he supports shutting down the Rikers Island jail complex, an idea he had previously resisted.
New York City’s Latest Bail Reform Aims to Keep More Teens Out of Jail
More teens accused of serious felonies will be released from jail without bail under New York City’s latest push to limit incarceration, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.
