Category: In the News
The Appeal: New York Ends A Punishment That Traps People In Poverty
“But a failure to appear in court is connected to poverty as well. People who can’t pay a traffic ticket may also not be able to take time off work to go to court, or may be unable to arrange child care. Those who can afford it can pay off their fines without the need to show […]
NOLA: Saints LB Demario Davis wins Bart Starr award, accolade presented for character, leadership
“Davis, then with the New York Jets, interned with the United Way in 2017. The following year, he led a rally for criminal justice reform and partnered with the Bronx Defenders — a nonprofit in New York that aims to transform how low-income people are represented in the justice system — and earned the Pursuit […]
New York Law Journal: Winter Virus Surge Deepens Uncertainty Over Return of New Jury Trials
“New York’s coronavirus figures have created a nebulous view of when jury trials might return. That means criminal defendants who are locked up in pretrial detention do not have a clear view of when they will have their day in court, said Ann Mathews, managing director for the criminal defense practice at The Bronx Defenders. When […]
News12: Woman says joy of motherhood after giving birth was stolen due to miscommunication at Bronx hospital
“Those three hospitals are Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and New York-Presbyterian. This is a probe to see if these practices are discriminatory against Black and LatinX parents and their newborns. Policy Council to the Family Defense Practice at the Bronx Defenders has seen countless cases over the years of families needing legal representation–due to positive drug […]
New York Law Journal: NYCLU, Bronx Defenders Allege ICE Violated Injunction in Continuing ‘No-Release’ Policy
“Attorneys from the New York Civil Liberties Union and Bronx Defenders have alleged that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are violating a federal court order by continuing a “no-release” policy of detaining undocumented immigrants arrested over the last three years.” Read the full article here
Documented: Advocates skeptical about ICE providing the COVID-19 vaccine to detainees
“We have seen the extreme health risk and crises that are posed by continuing to keep individuals in ICE detention. There’s no ability to socially distance and engage in hygiene practices that would otherwise be intended to prevent the spread of [COVID-19],” said Sarah Deri Oshiro, the managing director of the immigration practice at Bronx Defenders, […]
Politico: Public defender groups lay out legislative agenda
“New York City public defenders will be pushing for a new slate of criminal justice reforms when state lawmakers meet in the new year. The Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, New York County Defender Services, and Queens Defenders will release a legislative agenda Thursday that calls for […]
City & State: NYC jail inmates lack health care after release
“But upon reentry into the community, Ferguson was unable to get the critical heart medication he needed. Although Correctional Health Services provided him with a prescription, his Medicaid stopped covering him for outpatient treatment while in jail, so he had no insurance to pay for it. Without any money to pay out of pocket, the pharmacist […]
New York Daily News: This is sham NYPD reform: But as usual, the mayor and commissioner are dodging
“Last week, the NYPD hosted a “Police Reform and Reinvention Multi-Language Listening Session” in response to Gov. Cuomo’s Executive Order, issued in August, requiring that all other police departments statewide to come up with plans to reinvent policing. If done in good faith, this initiative is an opportunity for the city to finally live up to […]
Mother Jones: Do We Need to Abolish Child Protective Services?
“There are, of course, instances of terrible child abuse, and it’s the mission of ACS and child welfare agencies across the country to intervene. But often the child is not in danger and the caseworker has made a judgment call based only on the way the family is living. “With the vast majority of parents who […]