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News Archive for "Coronavirus"

Showing -10 — -12 of 321.

LAS Sues DOCCS for Critical Facility-Level COVID-19 Testing Data

The lawsuit seeks records reflecting the number of employees in NYS prisons who have been tested for the virus and the number who have tested positive since the pandemic began, according to the Times Union.

Defenders Call on State, City to Decarcerate Now

As COVID-19 infection rates sore, The Legal Aid Society continues to urge Albany and City Hall to prioritize efforts to free vulnerable New Yorkers, as reported by City Limits.

COVID-19 Rates Explode in NYS Prisons, Advocates Demand Transparency, Action

The Legal Aid Society joined other advocacy groups in calling on the Governor and DOCCS to adopt decarceration measures to significantly reduce prison populations, as reported by the New York Daily News.

LAS Slams Failing Remote School Service in City Jails

Incarcerated students on Rikers Island are still waiting for video conferencing to continue their education, reports THE CITY.

LAS Warns of Eviction Wave for Communities of Color

The upcoming expiration of eviction bans will disproportionately impact communities of color and could push millions of struggling tenants into the streets, according to POLITICO.

2,000 New Yorkers in Custody Have Tested Positive for COVID-19

The shameful milestone is the result of inaction by the Governor and DOCCS, who have failed to protect vulnerable individuals, as reported by the Staten Island Advance.

Watch: LAS Talks COVID-19 and the NY Prison System

Stefen Short, an attorney in The Legal Aid Society's Prisoners' Rights Project, joined a round-table discussion with Lisa Evers’ Street Soldiers.

LAS Urges Cuomo to Release Vulnerable New Yorkers Held on Parole Warrants

As COVID-19 rates continue to rise in local jails, many individuals are still being held solely on parole warrants, many of which are predicated on non-criminal technical violations, according to the Queens Daily Eagle.

As Second Outbreak Hits Local Jails, LAS Urges Release of At-Risk New Yorkers

The Legal Aid Society called on City and State officials to prioritize the immediate release of individuals especially vulnerable to COVID-19, according to Gothamist.

LAS Calls for Specifics on Cuomo’s Rent Relief Changes

The program must be swiftly recalibrated to ensure $60 million in resources reach New Yorkers facing eviction and homelessness, reports Spectrum News.