Criminal Justice Reform Organizations Support Cuomo’s “mugshot ban”
January 24, 2019
Legal Action Center and other criminal justice advocacy organizations voice support for Governor Cuomo’s amendment to New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) that would ban the public disclosure of photos and booking information compiled by law enforcement agencies when they make arrests, mirroring policies already in place in federal agencies.
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Protecting the Identity of Pardoned New Yorkers is the Right Thing to Do
February 20, 2018
26 undersigned criminal justice reform organizations strongly support Governor Cuomo’s pardon of 140 individuals who were convicted of one misdemeanor or non-violent felony when they were under the age of 18, and his decision to keep the names confidential. These individuals should now be allowed to move on with their lives without the stigma resulting from these convictions, which occurred when they were minors.
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ACLU Releases Report on Fair Chance Hiring
June 13, 2017
The Legal Action Center congratulates the ACLU and its Trone Private Sector and Education Advisory Council on releasing “Back to Business: How Hiring Formerly Incarcerated Jobseekers Benefits Your Company,” which documents the successful corporate policies that give formerly-incarcerated Americans a fair chance at employment and reentry.
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The Passage of Sealing Legislation
May 8, 2017
While the decision to close Riker’s Island and passage of legislation to raise the age of criminal responsibility have been rightly trumpeted as major reforms of some of New York’s most deleterious criminal justice policies and practices, an extremely important piece of progressive legislation has gone largely unnoticed and uncelebrated: beginning in October, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers will be eligible to have their old criminal convictions sealed.
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New Polling Shows Broad Support for Expanding Addiction Treatment and Report Offers Policymakers a Roadmap for a More Effective National Drug and Alcohol Policy
January 27, 2016
A survey commissioned by Legal Action Center (LAC) and released today finds strong support among Americans for expanding addiction treatment and making it a policy priority of the next president. The survey was released in conjunction with a new report from Legal Action Center; The Roadmap for Promoting Health and Justice: A Smarter, More Effective National Drug and Alcohol Policy is a guide for policymakers who understand the urgent need to reshape the nation’s drug and alcohol policies, in order to address addiction as a chronic disease that can be treated and prevented.
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CoRA Announces Advocacy Priorities & New Website for NY Reentry Coalition that Includes LAC
December 15, 2015
The Coalition of Reentry Advocates, CoRA, works “to change laws and policies to ensure that people who have had contact with the criminal justice system have a fair chance to succeed as full community members.” Legal Action Center and twelve other coalition members recently announced CoRA’s advocacy priorities and the establishment of a new coalition website.
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In Memoriam: Jacqueline Berrien, Former EEOC Chairwoman
December 10, 2015
It is with great admiration and solemn gratitude that I write today in remembrance of Jacqueline Berrien. The former chairwoman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and associate director-counsel of the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Berrien passed away on November 9 at the age of 53 due to cancer.
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Beyond “Ban the Box”: Four Steps to Build on Fair Chance Hiring
November 17, 2015
“Ban the Box”, also referred to as fair chance hiring, is catching on as more and more jurisdictions adopt legislation applying to public agencies, private companies, or both. But is Banning the Box enough to secure a second chance for millions of workers with criminal records?
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Legal Action Center Celebrates Implementation of New York City Fair Chance Act
October 27, 2015
Legal Action Center celebrates implementation of the Fair Chance Act in New York City. LAC supported passage of this critical legislation which aims to eliminate another aspect of unfair discrimination against workers with criminal records. In combination with Article 23-A of the Correction Act, a national model for prohibiting employment discrimination based on criminal record information that is not job-related, the Fair Chance Act will ensure more equal opportunities for New York City workers with criminal records.
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New York City Bans the Box: Mayor de Blasio Signs Fair Chance Act
July 2, 2015
On Monday, June 29, 2015, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law the Fair Chance Act, New York City’s version of “ban-the-box” legislation. The law gives people with criminal records a fairer shot at employment by prohibiting employers from asking about criminal convictions until after a conditional offer of employment has been made. Dozens of advocates, activists and community members were at City Hall to witness this historic moment.
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