The Fortune Society Issues Statement On New York State Budget

The Fortune Society today issued the following statement about the $220 billion budget approved by the New York State legislature:

“Rolling back critical reforms made to our bail laws, which were enacted to ensure that justice did not depend on ability to pay, simply will not make us safer. To the contrary, pre-trial detention for any amount of time has been proven to increase someone’s likelihood of continued criminal legal system involvement. These new measures criminalize poverty and will sweep countless people charged with non-violent, low-level misdemeanors into jail. Rolling back bail reform will also exacerbate existing racial disparities in our criminal legal system. The long-term impact on Black and Brown communities will continue to carry generational consequences.

With over 54 years of experience supporting people returning from jail and prison, and providing meaningful alternatives to incarceration, the Fortune Society knows what strengthens individuals and communities: ensuring people have access to safe and stable housing, mental health and behavioral health services, and connections to employment and education. We therefore appreciate that the Governor and the legislature reached agreement on reducing barriers to obtaining government-issued identification and eliminating fees for parole supervision. These are both good steps towards promoting the successful reentry of people returning from incarceration. Passing the legislature’s current version of the Clean Slate Act would provide more people with the ability to access housing, employment and move forward with their lives without bearing the lifelong stigma of a past conviction. We look forward to partnering with our elected officials on meaningful, proven solutions. And we will continue to stand with our partners in calling for a more fair and humane criminal legal system.”

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ABOUT THE FORTUNE SOCIETY: Founded in 1967, The Fortune Society has advocated on criminal justice issues for over five decades and is nationally recognized for developing model programs that help people with criminal justice histories to be assets to their communities. Fortune offers a holistic and integrated “one-stop-shopping” model of service provision. Among the services offered are discharge planning, licensed outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment, alternatives to incarceration, HIV/AIDS services, career development and job retention, education, family services, drop in services and supportive housing as well as lifetime access to aftercare. For more information, visit www.fortunesociety.org.