NYPD

Policy

Adams’ vetoes set up council fights over public safety and solitary confinement bills

The City Council has vowed to override the vetoes of the How Many Stops Act and the solitary confinement ban.

Policy

Policy

De Blasio-era police reforms suffer under Adams

With recent cuts to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, Adams has set his sights on one of the last untouched police reforms of his predecessor.

News & Politics

Politics

Ahead of Christmas, Hochul grants pardons and commutations to 16 people

Advocates celebrated the clemencies but criticized a system that treats pardons and commutations as rare gifts bestowed upon extraordinary individuals instead of tools for systematic justice.

Policy

Policy

Council bills could set up Eric Adams’ next veto fights

The council passed a bill banning solitary confinement in city jails and legislation requiring police officers to report information about lower-level investigative encounters with civilians.

Rikers Island

Politics

Exclusive: New Rikers commission unveils list of members

The former New York City probation commissioner and a former deputy mayor will join many original members to get the closure plan back on track.

News & Politics

Politics

4 things to know about new DOC Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie

Maginley-Liddie will take over for outgoing Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina at a time of crisis for the city’s jails.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: The feds must take control of Rikers and then close it

Should the city jails be put into receivership or should Rikers be closed? The only correct answer is both.

News & Politics

Politics

Which city leaders are calling for a federal takeover of Rikers Island?

The city comptroller, public advocate, state attorney general, federal prosecutors and even former DOC commissioners all support federal receivership for the city’s jails.

News & Politics

Politics

As federal takeover of Rikers Island looms, Mayor Eric Adams insists jails conditions are improving

The mayor credited outgoing DOC commissioner Louis Molina with moving things in “the right direction.”

Criminal Justice

Opinion

Opinion: It’s time to reinvest the savings from the Less is More Act

Five communities impacted by New York’s historic parole rules said investments in housing and mental health treatment services should be a priority.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: The PLAN Act promotes fairness for formerly incarcerated people

The proposed legislation would bring greater transparency to the state licensing process, which is currently discouraging would-be nurses and social workers from entering their fields due to barriers relating to conviction history.

Courts

Policy

New York’s progressive chief judge joins with conservatives to expand DNA searches by law enforcement

In a 4-3 decision, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson ruled that the Commission on Forensic Science has the authority to allow law enforcement to search DNA databases to find partial DNA matches from relatives of potential suspects.

Politics

Politics

DOC critic Jacqueline Sherman tapped for reappointment to Board of Correction

The mayor's office had hoped to replace Sherman when her term expired, but a behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign succeeded in keeping her on the board of the jails watchdog.

Politics

Politics

Council Member Inna Vernikov brought a gun to a protest. Did she break the law?

Openly carrying a pistol to a college protest could fall afoul of New York state’s strict gun laws.

Rikers Island

Politics

Federal monitor concludes DOC is incapable of running Rikers well

The monitor’s latest report finds that stabbings are up, deaths in custody are continuing and nothing will change so long as DOC is in charge.

Policy

Policy

DOC stopped providing tampons to detainees – despite 2016 law mandating it

The Department of Correction has a problem with menstruation, amid fears that tampons will be used to smoke drugs and menstrual cups will be used for “splashings.”

Education

Policy

Major felony crimes up in New York City schools

School safety has been a major focus after a string of high-profile incidents occurred outside school buildings last year.

Policy

Policy

Judge rejects state prison system’s attempt to dismiss lawsuit over solitary confinement

The class action lawsuit was filed by a group of people incarcerated in state prisons, including one man who was sent to solitary confinement for 120 days after throwing sugar packets and urinating on the floor.

News & Politics

Politics

Top DOC lawyer Paul Shechtman resigns

Shechtman’s decision to quietly step down last week suggests DOC Commissioner Louis Molina’s legal arguments may not even pass the smell test with his own lawyers.

News & Politics

Politics

Divisions within oversight agency may imperil lawsuit against DOC

The mayor’s new appointees could shift the balance of power on the Board of Correction, leading the watchdog agency to abandon its lawsuit against DOC.