NYSBA Commends Governor For Signing Less Is More Act
9.17.2021
New York State Bar Association President T. Andrew Brown today applauded Gov. Kathy Hochul for signing the Less is More Act – a vitally important piece of reform legislation that will end reincarceration for individuals alleged to have committed technical parole violations.
The new law marks a significant victory for NYSBA because the bill was one of its top legislative priorities.
“The longstanding cycle of incarcerating individuals for minor technical parole violations was costly and morally incomprehensible,” said Brown. “This much-needed criminal justice reform will ensure that thousands of New Yorkers eligible for release will no longer languish behind bars unnecessarily when they could have been receiving community-based treatment services and educational opportunities to improve the chances of a successful reentry back into society.
“Once again I’d like to thank Lt. Gov. Brian A. Benjamin, Assemblymembers Phara Souffrant Forrest and David I. Weprin and NYSBA’s Task Force on the Parole System for their hard work in making this bill a reality.”
NYSBA’s Task Force on the Parole System, led by co-chairs Seymour W. James Jr. and William T. Russell Jr., recently conducted a detailed review of the state’s parole process. The task force identified the reimprisonment of individuals for technical parole violations – like failing to make curfew or missing an appointment with a parole officer – as one of the largest drivers of mass incarceration. The legislation, as recommended in the task force’s report, also establishes a system of “earned good time credits” to incentivize good behavior while on parole, which would reduce a parolee’s time under supervision. The task force’s report and NYSBA’s subsequent advocacy played a crucial role in the bill’s passage.
About the New York State Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. Since 1876, NYSBA has helped shape the development of law, educated and informed the legal profession and the public, and championed the rights of New Yorkers through advocacy and guidance in our communities.
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Contact: Susan DeSantis
sdesantis@nysba.org
201-575-5756
