Tag: Driven By Justice
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 […]
Statement from Driven By Justice Coalition: Gov. Cuomo Signs Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act
Statement from Driven By Justice Coalition: Gov. Cuomo Signs Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act Compromise Reached With Gov. Cuomo to End License Suspensions for People Unable to Pay a Traffic Fine January 4, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org Jag Davies, Fines and Fees Justice Center, jdavies@ffjc.us NEW YORK – Governor Andrew Cuomo […]
Urban CNY: Assemblymember Hunter’s bill to end driver’s license suspensions due to traffic debt passes Assembly
“We applaud Assembly Member Hunter for her leadership and the Assembly for passing the Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act and taking a major step forward to end the cruel and counterproductive criminalization of poverty,” said Ranit Patel, Equal Justice Works Fellow sponsored by the Venture Justice Fund at The Bronx Defenders. “Suspending driver’s licenses due […]
NY Legislature Sends Driver’s License Suspension Reform Bill to Gov. Cuomo’s Desk
Driven By Justice drivenbyjustice.org For Immediate Release: July 22 Contact: jdavies@ffjc.us rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org Legislation Would End Widespread Driver’s License Suspensions for Unpaid Traffic Debt Today, the New York Senate joined the Assembly in passing the Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act. The vast majority of New York driver’s license suspensions are for traffic tickets that residents […]
Syracuse.com: NY’s hard-core traffic fines hit the poor hardest, Syracuse lawmaker says
“The problem is particularly troubling in Syracuse, a city with the nation’s highest rate of concentrated poverty among blacks and Hispanics, Hunter said. The rate of driver’s with suspended licenses for unpaid traffic tickets in one poor neighborhood in Syracuse is more than twice the statewide average, according to the Driven by Justice Coalition, a coalition of criminal […]
WBFO: State effort to eliminate driver’s license suspensions gets local support
“According to the Driven by Justice Coalition, over 1.6 million suspensions due to traffic debt were issued to New Yorker’s over a 28-month span. Kennedy said the suspensions are not equitable and poor people are punished for being poor. “Driver’s license suspension rates are nearly nine times higher in the ten poorest communities across New […]
Investigative Post: The cost of suspending driver’s licenses
“The court system in these cases is really trying to extract money from these clients. It doesn’t serve any public safety function,” says Scott Levy, our Special Counsel. Read the full article here