FREE THE PEOPLE
STATE WORKING GROUP
The Free The People State Working Group unites organizers, advocates, and activists working on state-level campaigns that promote basic human dignity and ensure equity and harm reduction for our communities. The cohort uplifts decarceration through racial justice lens and works across issue areas – justice system, housing, climate, and more – with an awareness the fight for anti-racist systems in intersectional.
The Free The People State Working Group works alongside Justice Roadmap, a network of individuals and organizations working on bills that address harm caused by criminal and immigrant systems, and supports statewide efforts through collective work.
STATE LEVEL DEMANDS
Protect The Dignity Of Incarcerated People
- Halt solitary confinement
- Provide protections against Covid-19
- Reform prison labor
Fix The Unjust Parole System
- End the culture of punishment
- Pass Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole
Support the Climate & Community Investment Act
- End racial disparities in the justice system by investing in green jobs, not jails.
Protect The Dignity Of Incarcerated People
- Halt solitary confinement
- Provide protections against Covid-19
- Reform prison labor
Fix The Unjust Parole System
- End the culture of punishment
- Pass Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole
Support the Climate and Community Investment Act
- Support the Climate and Community Investment Act
- End racial disparities in the justice system by investing in green jobs, not jails.
Prevent A Mass Housing Crisis
- Pass sensible housing protections that take urgent measures to address evictions, foreclosures, and homelessness
Protect Immigrant Communities
- Pass the New York for All bill that requires state and local law enforcement resources are not used to help ICE and federal immigration authorities separate immigrant families and sow fear in our communities
End Imprisonment Through Technical Violations
- New York re-incarcerates more people for non-criminal technical violations than any other state, except for Illinois
- Pass Less is More to restrict the use of imprisonment for technical violations
Prevent A Mass Housing Crisis
- Pass sensible housing protections that take urgent measures to address evictions, foreclosures, and homelessness
Protect Immigrant Communities
- Pass the New York for All bill that requires state and local law enforcement resources are not used to help ICE and federal immigration authorities separate immigrant families and sow fear in our communities
End Imprisonment Through Technical Violations
- New York re-incarcerates more people for non-criminal technical violations than any other state, except for Illinois
- Pass Less is More to restrict the use of imprisonment for technical violations
WHAT WE ARE
WORKING ON
Protect The Dignity Of Incarcerated People
Halt Solitary Confinement
End the torturous use of solitary confinement — protecting the most vulnerable groups (youth, pregnant women, elderly, persons with disabilities — in New York jails and prisons. Limit solitary,in all cases, to 15 days, with diversion beyond the limit to residential rehabilitation units that provide harm reduction interventions while separating persons presenting safety threats from the general population.
Learn MoreProvide Protections Against COVID-19
Establish stronger safeguards to protect incarcerated people from COVID-19, utilizing social distancing measures that do not rely on solitary confinement, and provide personal protective equipment (PPE). Increase access to medical care, flu shots, and COVID-19 tests.
Learn MoreReform Prison Labor
End forced labor, raise incarcerated workers' salaries, and provide educational and workforce development opportunities. Prohibit entities from capitalizing on (or exploiting) prison labor.
Learn MoreFix The Unjust Parole System
Elder Parole
End death by incarceration by allowing incarcerated individuals ages 55 and older — who have served 15 or more years in prison — the chance to go before the Parole Board.
Learn MoreFair and Timely Parole
End the culture of punishment by mandating fair and timely parole to all eligible individuals, unless a person poses a clear and unreasonable risk to society.
Learn MoreTransition To Renewable Energy Economy
Support the Climate and Community Investment Act
NYRENEWS | Create good, green jobs that are accessible to the masses, especially frontline populations — such as formerly incarcerated individuals. Build up the infrastructure to establish an impacted worker fund, direct grants to support community-led planning (frontline communities hit first and worst by climate disaster) reduce local emissions, and establish an energy rebate fund to provide assistance to reduce the burden of energy costs to low- and moderate-income families. Hold polluters accountable by charging $35 for each ton of pollution put into the air, with an estimated $7 billion (collectively) annually.
Learn MoreJobs Not Jails
NYRENEWS | End racial disparities in the justice system by investing in green jobs and training, re-entry initiatives, and community-focused programs.
Learn MorePrevent A Mass Housing
Crisis In New York
Pass "Good Cause" Eviction Protection
Pass sensible housing protections that take urgent measures to address evictions, foreclosures, and homelessness. Pass "Good Cause" eviction protection to ensure residents can stay in their homes. Add more stringent penalties for bad and absentee landlords who allow their properties to fall into disrepair and harm tenants. Create mortgage forgiveness protections for homeowners behind on payments.
Learn MoreProtect Immigrant Communities
Across New York
New York For All Bill
Immigrant residents should not have to fear that a minor brush with local law enforcement could lead to being torn away from their families. Pass the New York for All bill that requires our state and local law enforcement resources are not used to help ICE and federal immigration authorities separate immigrant families and sow fear in our communities.
Learn MoreEnd Imprisonment Through
Technical Violations
The Less Is More Act
New York reincarcerates more people for non-criminal technical violations than any other state (except Illinois). Pass the Less Is More Act to restrict the use of incarceration for technical violations, allow "good time credits" to reduce supervision, and require speedy hearings and due process through a recognizance hearing before they are detained.
Learn MoreWHAT WE ARE WORKING ON
Protect The Dignity Of Incarcerated People
Halt Solitary Confinement
End the torturous use of solitary confinement — protecting the most vulnerable groups (youth, pregnant women, elderly, persons with disabilities — in New York jails and prisons. Limit solitary,in all cases, to 15 days, with diversion beyond the limit to residential rehabilitation units that provide harm reduction interventions while separating persons presenting safety threats from the general population.
Learn MoreProvide Protections Against COVID-19
Establish stronger safeguards to protect incarcerated people from COVID-19, utilizing social distancing measures that do not rely on solitary confinement, and provide personal protective equipment (PPE). Increase access to medical care, flu shots, and COVID-19 tests.
Learn MoreReform Prison Labor
End forced labor, raise incarcerated workers' salaries, and provide educational and workforce development opportunities. Prohibit entities from capitalizing on (or exploiting) prison labor.
Learn MoreFix The Unjust Parole System
Elder Parole
End death by incarceration by allowing incarcerated individuals ages 55 and older — who have served 15 or more years in prison — the chance to go before the Parole Board.
Learn MoreFair and Timely Parole
End the culture of punishment by mandating fair and timely parole to all eligible individuals, unless a person poses a clear and unreasonable risk to society.
Learn MoreTransition To Renewable Energy Economy
Support the Climate and Community Investment Act
NYRENEWS | Create good, green jobs that are accessible to the masses, especially frontline populations — such as formerly incarcerated individuals. Build up the infrastructure to establish an impacted worker fund, direct grants to support community-led planning (frontline communities hit first and worst by climate disaster) reduce local emissions, and establish an energy rebate fund to provide assistance to reduce the burden of energy costs to low- and moderate-income families. Hold polluters accountable by charging $35 for each ton of pollution put into the air, with an estimated $7 billion (collectively) annually.
Learn MoreJobs Not Jails
NYRENEWS | End racial disparities in the justice system by investing in green jobs and training, re-entry initiatives, and community-focused programs.
Learn MorePrevent A Mass Housing
Crisis In New York
Pass "Good Cause" Eviction Protection
Pass sensible housing protections that take urgent measures to address evictions, foreclosures, and homelessness. Pass "Good Cause" eviction protection to ensure residents can stay in their homes. Add more stringent penalties for bad and absentee landlords who allow their properties to fall into disrepair and harm tenants. Create mortgage forgiveness protections for homeowners behind on payments.
Learn MoreProtect Immigrant Communities
Across New York
New York For All Bill
Immigrant residents should not have to fear that a minor brush with local law enforcement could lead to being torn away from their families. Pass the New York for All bill that requires our state and local law enforcement resources are not used to help ICE and federal immigration authorities separate immigrant families and sow fear in our communities.
Learn MoreEnd Imprisonment Through
Technical Violations
The Less Is More Act
New York reincarcerates more people for non-criminal technical violations than any other state (except Illinois). Pass the Less Is More Act to restrict the use of incarceration for technical violations, allow "good time credits" to reduce supervision, and require speedy hearings and due process through a recognizance hearing before they are detained.
Learn More