The Legal Aid Society lauded a report and recommendation from the New York State Bar Association which would overhaul existing statewide parole laws requiring a judges’ review for technical violations instead of automatic incarceration and create a “earned good time credits” system to incentivize good behavior. The Bar Association also announced its support to increase the New York State Parole Board commissioners from 19 to 30 to address a backlog of cases, according to THE CITY.

“Technical parole violations – failing to obtain a job, discuss changes in residence, or missing a curfew — have plagued our clients for decades and have fed mass incarceration in New York State,” said Lorraine McEvilley, Director of the Parole Revocation Defense Unit at The Legal Aid Society. “These reforms are drastically needed to overhaul a highly punitive system that adds little to promote public safety and only serves as barriers to our clients’ successful reentry back to their communities.”