The New York Civil Liberties Union and Legal Services of Central New York filed a class-action lawsuit in district court last month against the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office for its alleged use of solitary confinement for 16 and 17 year olds. The NYCLU says that the young people, many of whom are mentally ill, are […]
Prison reform
Posted inNews & Opinion
Colleges support prisoner education
Despite widely known and draconian facts about the prison system in the US, Joshua Dubler says that he’s optimistic that public attitudes about the justice system and the treatment of incarcerated people are at a turning point. “We’re in a good moment,” says Dubler, assistant professor of religion at the University of Rochester. Higher education […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
All eyes on Ted O’Brien
State Senator Ted O’Brien is not in an easy spot. The first-term Democrat faces a tough re-election bid against Republican Rich Funke, a political newcomer and former anchor for WHEC. And some people are wondering if the race is already influencing O’Brien’s actions. Recently, O’Brien broke sharply from his party on a couple of controversial, […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Parsing O’Brien’s recent independent streak
In the months leading up to its typical June break, the State Legislature will work its way through a number of bills. And Democratic Senator Ted O’Brien’s votes and positions on those issues will be closely watched by political and advocacy groups. O’Brien, like all state legislators, is up for election this year. And Republicans clearly […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Cuomo’s plan to educate inmates makes sense
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to give state prison inmates access to college degree programs has got critics sharpening their knives. A trio of Republican Congress members are behind the latest move against Cuomo’s plan. House Representatives Chris Collins, Tom Reed, and Chris Gibson have introduced legislation, the Kids before Cons Act, that would prohibit the […]
