Kayla Simpson – an attorney in the Prisoners’ Rights Project at The Legal Aid Society – penned a joint opinion piece in the New York Daily News with representatives of NYC Defender Services and Columbia University calling on Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, the New York State Legislature, the New York City Council and others to prioritize the decarceration of New York City jails immediately.

After a push for decarceration made last spring, rollbacks in bail reform and the resumption of court operations have led the jail population to rise yet again – an ominous sign for a jail system that ineffectively tests for COVID-19 and adheres to social distance protocols.

“COVID-19 devastated NYC’s jails once before. A second jail outbreak is imminent, if it hasn’t already begun,” the op-ed states. “We must decarcerate our jails, and do everything we can to protect anyone left behind. Judges, prosecutors, jail officials, City Hall, Gov. Cuomo, the state Legislature, and the parole system have the power to act now to save lives. If they don’t take action, we fear that others will be left to carry out the dead.”

Read the full piece here.