Did New York’s Bail Reforms Go Too Far?
New York’s criminal justice system will soon undergo dramatic changes. As detailed in our two recent blogs, beginning January 1, 2020, there will be many changes. One such change will be regarding...
Can Your Criminal History “Rap Sheet” Be Wrong?
Can you rap sheet be wrong? The short answer is "yes." And if it is incorrect, it could impact you dramatically. For example, you could lose job opportunities or be denied certain licenses. As such, i...
Revocation of Parole in New York State
When on parole or post-release supervision (“PRS”), a person is at liberty after serving time in prison. The parolee is under the supervision of a parole officer (“P.O.”) and must follow certain condi...
Domestic Abuse Survivors to Receive More Consideration At Sentencing
On May 14, New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA). The law would, among other measures, give judges more discretion when sentencing surviv...
Calls Recorded By Jails Can Be Used By Prosecutors
If you’ve ever received calls from someone in jail or prison, you’ve likely heard a recording prior to accepting the call. And it usually states that the phone call will be monitored and recorded....
Use of Jailhouse Informants In Criminal Cases
While in jail, inmates will chat with one another about their criminal cases. Sometimes, an inmate will confess his or her crime. But in other cases, an inmate can lie about what they have heard other...
Additional Reforms in the NY Criminal Justice System
As discussed in last week's blog, the legislature recently passed sweeping bail and discovery reforms. There are also several other reforms taking place. Here, we discuss a few more of the changes to...
Civil Commitment of Sex Offenders
In New York, some persons who have committed sex offenses are considered too dangerous to live the community. This is even after they’ve served the prison sentence for their offense. These individuals...
Does “Raise the Age” Legislation Do More Harm Than Good?
In 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law legislation raising the age of criminal responsibility in the state of New York. The new laws affect many, as nearly 28,000 juvenile offenders in New Yor...
Electronic Monitoring and Other Forms of “e-Carceration”
In a move to end mass incarceration, “e-carceration” is on the rise. E-carceration refers to different types of technology to gather information to constrain the liberty of those subject to such devic...
Parole Board Hearings in New York
If you have a loved one in prison, you may often think about if there is any way for him/her to be released from prison early. One way for your loved one to get home sooner is for him/her to have a su...
Kendra’s Law – Getting Mental Health Treatment for Those Leaving Prison
Not everyone with a serious mental illness needs to be committed to a psychiatric facility. In fact, many (if not most) people with serious mental illness can function well in their communities with t...