PRISON DOWNSIZING CAMPAIGN

It is not a hyperbole to say that we now have a historic opportunity to win numerous criminal justice reforms. New York’s budget crisis, combined with a more receptive legislature in Albany and a governor with a history of supporting criminal justice reforms, creates a virtually perfect storm where far-reaching change is possible. The CA is moving swiftly to take advantage of this moment.

In the coming months, we will pressure the governor and state legislators to consider a number of sensible reforms—such as overhauling mandatory sentencing policies like the Rockefeller Drug Laws and closing underutilized prisons—that safely and sustainably decrease prison capacity and population and reduce needless government spending.  In addition, we will urge legislators to reinvest a portion of the cost savings into essential programs and services—such as re-entry programs and alternatives-to-incarceration—ensuring that these downsizing measures are both practical and sustainable in the long-term.

Take Action!

Your support and participation in our campaign are critical. In the coming weeks and months we will work hard to keep you involved and informed of our progress.

As a first step, please sign our petition to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws. We're trying to reach our goal of 35,000 signatures, and have about 10,000 more to go.

Already signed it? Get your friends, families, and colleagues to sign and possibly win a prize!

• Gather petition signatures at your office, in your apartment building, or in your community, and then drop the hard copies off at the CA or fax them to our office. [Download and print petition]

For every 50 signatures you collect for repeal, you will receive one ticket for the Rockefeller Raffle, which will be held in February.  Prizes will include entertainment tickets, free dinner certificates, and other surprise gifts.