At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of thecourtroom 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.

NYT: Police Officers May No Longer Hold People as They Check for Warrants
Gothamist: What’s at stake with untold loss of DNA evidence in NYPD warehouse fire
El Diario: Pánico en Nueva York: fuego masivo en almacén NYPD destruyó evidencias
Bloomberg: In New York Neighborhood, Police and Tech Company Flout Privacy Policy
The Real Deal: Insolvent rent-aid program will close Jan. 15
Law360: Settlement Paves Way to Close NY’s Rent Aid Applications Portal
Gothamist: NY rent assistance program could close Jan. 15
The City: For ‘Clemency Season,’ Prisoner Advocates Want Hochul to Keep Promise All Year
Queens Daily Eagle: Legal Aid Calls on Hochul to Act on Clemency Promise
The Intercept: Incarcerated people Forced To Do Dangerous Work At Height Of Pandemic
NY Post: Legal opposition to NYC homeless policy politically motivated, Eric Adams says
The City: West Side Publisher Denied Visa, Forced to Stay in England
NYDN: NYC’s vulnerable families left hungry — and helpless — as EBT fraud grows
NYDN: Rikers Island shoplifting suspect dies, 19th death in NYC jails this year
NYP: Inmate dies on Rikers Island, 19th death reported in troubled NYC jails
NYT: Massive Fire Burns Down Part of an N.Y.P.D. Evidence Center in Brooklyn
NYDN: Massive NYPD warehouse fire in Brooklyn destroys DNA evidence; puts cases at risk
Queens Daily Eagle: Rikers Death Toll Climbs After 39-Year-Old Found Dead
NYDN: NYC Police Commissioner Sewell overruled more than 70 CCRB discipline rulings in 2022
PIX11: Decades of NYPD evidence destroyed in Brooklyn fire
City & State: A timeline on the closure of Rikers Island
FOX5: NYC homeless sweeps: Most people end up leaving shelters