Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a new law that will keep New York State residents out of jail for non-violent parole violations.
The law is called “Less is More” and focuses on eliminating the practice of locking people up for missing an appointment with a parole officer, forgetting to inform a parole officer of changing employment, being late for curfew, and other non-violent actions considered to be a violation of parole.
Starting in March, only people who were convicted of DWIs will go back to jail for consuming alcohol or drugs.
5,000 people are in jail for technical, non-violent parole violations and could be released. Many wait up to 105 days before they have a hearing.
Hochul said she will also release 191 eligible people currently in Rikers, and Mayor Bill de Blasio will have the city releasing hundreds of individuals immediately.
In addition she is working to have eligible inmates transferred from Rikers to New York State Correctional Facilities.
Republicans feel that Democrats are focusing more on those who committed crimes than the victims of crimes.
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