Survivors of violent crimes stood side-by-side with former inmates at the Capitol on Tuesday to push again for an overhaul of the state’s parole system, which advocates said has unfairly pitted victims against people who commit crimes — especially in a time of renewed political agitation about public safety. 
The movement to change how the state grants parole, part of a broader set of progressive criminal justice measures, has long been championed by advocates and many Democratic lawmakers. The "Fair and Timely Act" bill would broaden the criteria used to determine whether an individual should be granted parole, while an "Elder Parole" bill would ensure that an inmate over 55 or an inmate who has served at least 15 years in prison would be automatically granted a parole hearing despite the severity of their initial conviction. Both have been introduced in prior legislative sessions, yet failed to reach the floor of either chamber.

The Clean Slate NY campaign is fighting for a new law (S211/A1029) that will automatically clear a New Yorker’s conviction record once they become eligible. The civil damage a conviction record can inflict is often wide-ranging and enduring—permanently barring many individuals from basic opportunities like stable jobs, licenses to practice trades, and safe, secure housing. Clean Slate NY is about strengthening our communities by ensuring that New Yorkers are not punished beyond their sentences and can be full and fair participants in economic and civic life.