At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of the courtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected —regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Our experienced teams provide comprehensive services, support, and advocacy that protect rights, keep families and communities together, and in many cases, saves lives. We have an intrinsic connection to the daily lives of New Yorkers. Here are a few of the places we made a difference, provided context or added valuable perspective this week:

LAS condemns Governor, Corcraft for using incarcerated New Yorkers to make hand sanitizer

NY Post: Cuomo slammed by justice group over hand sanitizer made using ‘slave labor’
NYT: Cuomo’s Fix for Sanitizer Shortage: 100,000 Gallons Made by Prisoners
Pix 11: Cuomo introduces hand sanitizer made by prison inmates
Politico: De Blasio OK with Cuomo’s hand sanitizer despite objections over prison labor
Daily Beast: Cuomo Unveils Floral-Scented, NY State-Branded Hand Sanitizer Made by Prisoners
Politico: Cuomo’s hand sanitizer plan renews calls for inmate minimum wage hikes
D & C: New York’s solution to hand sanitizer shortage: Prison labor
NY Daily News: New York to produce its own hand sanitizer to meet coronavirus demand
Washington Post: Inmates are manufacturing hand sanitizer to help fight coronavirus.
Gothamist: NYS’s New Hand Sanitizer Is Made By Prisoners Paid An Average 65 Cents An Hour
Huff Post: New York State Will Produce Hand Sanitizer Made By Prison Inmates
NY Daily News: NY producing its own hand sanitizer; citywide coronavirus quarantine a ‘possibility’
Journal News: New York’s solution to hand sanitizer shortage: Prison labor
Fox News: New York introduces prisoner-made hand sanitizer to fight coronavirus
BET: New York Inmates Forced to Make Hand Sanitizer, But Lack Coronavirus Protection
The Crime Report: Using NY Prisoners to Make Hand Sanitizer Called ‘Slave Labor’
Mademenoire: Gov. Cuomo Slammed By Activists Over Hand Sanitizer Made Using Prison Labor
Jezebel: Prison Inmates in New York Are Manufacturing Hand Sanitizer, But Can’t Use Any
Color Lines: NY Gov Slammed for Using ‘Slave Labor’ in Manufacture of Hand Sanitizer
El Diario: Gobernador presentó desinfectante hecho por presos de Nueva York
THE CITY: Sanitizer Squeed From State Prison Labor Amplifies Calls to Hike Palty Pay 
City & State: How New York uses prison labor
NYT Today: Coronavirus in N.Y.C.: The Latest

Coronavirus presents threats to people who are incarcerated

Gothamist: Spread Of Coronavirus “A Nightmare Waiting To Happen” For NY Jails & Prisons
NYDN: NYC’s federal jails not prepared for coronavirus, says defense attorney group
THE CITY: The Secret Plan to Lock Down Coronavirus in NYC Jails
NY1: Officials Prepare for Potential Coronavirus Outbreak on Rikers Island
Law 360: Attys Fear Coronavirus Spread In Immigration Detention

Criminal court cases plummet, despite NYPD claims that crime has risen

Politico: Coronavirus cases double — NYPD, public defenders spar over crime stats 
Brinkwire: Major crime soars by 22% in New York City as police blame bail reforms
The Crime Report: NYC Police Blame Bail Law For Latest Crime Increases
THE APPEAL: Public Defenders Have an Obligation to Speak Out

More LAS in the news

ABC7: Tiempo: Details on the new ‘public charge’ rule
City & State: Will the NYPD officers involved in aggressive arrest be penalized?
Queens Daily Eagle: Astoria Houses lead city in busted boilers
Gay City News: Doctors Explain Coronavirus’ Impact on People Living With HIV
City & State: Katz admits mistake in asking for bail
Gotham Gazette: New York Must Halt Evictions Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
NY Daily News: NYPD handcuffed woman to hospital bed as she was about to give birth