JANUARY 18, 2022
Governor Kathy Hochul today released her FY2023 Budget Proposal, which includes investing in programs and initiatives that provide second chances for incarcerated New Yorkers, such as expanding vocational, job readiness, and other reentry programs; training parole officers to assist with job placement and career planning for individuals on parole; funding a pilot program to secure transitional housing for individuals on parole; and among others.
These proposals come just weeks after the bipartisan New Yorkers United For Justice (NYUJ) Coalition announced the Second Chance Agenda for New York campaign to reform New York’s reentry system for formerly incarcerated individuals.
“Right now, New York’s reentry system is nothing more than $40 and a bus ticket — this isn’t fair, isn’t just, and doesn’t do anything to reduce recidivism and keep our communities safe. That’s why Governor Hochul said she would invest in second chances for incarcerated New Yorkers in her State of the State, and her proposed budget backs up that promise with real dollars and cents,” said NYUJ Executive Director Alexander Horwitz. “We believe in a simple truth: everyone deserves a second chance. Anyone leaving prisons needs a safe and permanent path home, and New York State has a moral obligation to provide proven tools to help them achieve that goal. We applaud the Hochul Administration for embracing second chances, and look forward to working with Governor Hochul and the legislature to enact reforms that will improve the lives of New Yorkers, reduce wasteful public spending, and make our communities safer.”
NYUJ’s Second Chance Agenda for New York is composed of the following legislative proposals:
- Investment in Reentry: New legislation that would build and fund a statewide network of local, in-community, and evidence-based reentry services;
- Clean Slate: Legislation that would seal criminal records from view by non-governmental entities like landlords and prospective employers after rehabilitation and a reasonable period of time of demonstrated lawful living;
- Data Modernization: New legislation that would improve New York’s criminal justice data system so we know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to reentry and reducing recidivism.
- “Second Look” Sentencing: Sentencing reform that will allow the courts to review individuals’ sentences on a case-by-case basis after they’ve served a certain amount of time; and
NYUJ’s Second Chance Agenda for New York campaign will continue throughout the 2022 legislative session. For more information, visit: https://nyuj.org/secondchances/.