Scrutinize the message

When it comes to political messaging, the public has an obligation to scrutinize the message being delivered, no matter what your political preferences might be. Trump repeated blatant lies about illegal immigrants during the campaign, claiming they were “coming from mental institutions and insane asylums” and “taking away jobs”, causing a false panic. Trump’s reprehensible statements were easy enough to debunk, but a significant number of voters across the political spectrum chose to believe them.

For anyone who read the recent LCN Guest Essays from Senator Helming and D.A. Ashley Williams criticizing New York’s prison reform efforts, I encourage you to read the proposed bills for yourself (www.nysenate.gov), and to do some research about the current state of prisons in New York. Senator Helming’s characterization of the bills as vehicles for “some of the most dangerous individuals in our state to walk free” is disingenuous, invoking an apocryphal scare just as Trump did. Ms. Williams’ assertion that the ‘Elder Parole’ bill (which is supported by the New York City Bar and the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, among others) “shifts the Parole Board’s focus” is also misleading.

Neither bill would guarantee parole or release. Just like any other aspect of law, it depends upon how it is used (think about the Presidential pardon, and how both Trump and Biden were recently viewed as abusing that power). Elder Parole seeks to address harms caused by New York’s history of overly-harsh sentences by allowing judges to also use their experience and discretion. The Second Look Act would also allow judges to review and reconsider excessive sentences. They are a nuanced approach to addressing cases of egregious injustice, and do nothing to diminish our concerns for victims of crime or for public safety.