Crime Committee Report e.indd - New York State Senate

ate Majority Conference has worked hard to develop a philosophy of not only “right-sizing,”
but “re-tooling” our correctional facilities, so as to not place our upstate communities at peril,
while simultaneously offering incarcerated men and women with an opportunity to learn a skill
that makes them an asset and not a liability to their community upon discharge from prison.
Investing taxpayer money into government programs that assist the re-entry efforts of formerly
incarcerated persons is a smart investment: At the rate of approximately $60,000 a year,
the cost of incarceration far exceeds the investment in re-entry programs. We worked hard to
equip them with the skills necessary to stay out of prison by planting seed money for programs
that assist the formerly incarcerated with job-training, interview skills and educational development,
which includes education on – and awareness of – communicable diseases and infections.
Our efforts are modest and mch more needs to be done, but we believe that it is better
to have an ex-offender working and becoming part of the solution, than repeatedly becoming
part of the problem.
The historical failings of New York’s criminal justice policies are well-documented and widely
recognized. We have attempted to alleviate the plight of every day New Yorkers as they traverse
the civil and criminal justice systems. We have, for example, successfully made concrete efforts
to provide state-appointed lawyers for people in civil court who cannot afford an attorney and
confront foreclosure of their homes, eviction from their apartments, denial of unemployment
benefits, denial of social security benefits, and scores of other civil legal actions. Chief Judge
Lippman, and his associates in the Appellate Division have scheduled public hearings throughout
the state of New York to assess the needs of millions of New Yorkers unrepresented in civil
court every year. It is our hopes that our efforts will strengthen New York families and provide
legal assistance when it is necessary for survival.
Paying very close attention to the needs of victims of crime, we have fought for continued
funding of our rape crisis centers and passed important legislation regarding the prevention of
domestic violence. We have also reformed the archaic Matrimonial Law, making New York State
the last state in the Nation to adopt a “no-fault” divorce statute. Now, proper attention can be
focused on the best interests and support of our children, who often suffer the most in the
event of a divorce. Advocates in support of no-fault divorce predict reductions in tensions that
lead up to domestic violence during and after divorce proceedings. We hope these predictions
ring true.
So fervent is our support of victims of crime during the 2010 Legislative Session that we
removed one of our own members from the New York State Senate because he was convicted
of a domestic violence assault and found to be unfit to serve in the Senate. We have sent out a
message that no one is above the law.
Looking ahead, The State of New York faces budget gaps of $30 billion over the next three
fiscal years, even after the daunting task of closing last fiscal year’s budget gap of approximately
$9 billion. As the legislative leaders with direct responsibility for the Crime Victims, Crime and
Correction Committee, we have a special duty to ensure the public safety on all streets, Walls
Street and Main Street alike, and to ensure that there is justice in the civil and criminal courts.
As your representatives in Albany, we will do everything we can to continue to reduce crime,
continue to reform our drug laws, continue our efforts to make the court system fair and responsive
to your needs, and continue to be sensitive to the needs of crime victims.
What should never be lost in the budget negotiation process is the stalwart belief that ensuring
the safety of the public and continued access to justice for all are our greatest responsibilities as
legislators. The Senate Majority Conference will continue to make certain that the safety of our
communities throughout the state is never compromised, and that our court system is an institution
that passionately protects our values of equal protection and due process of law for all.
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New York State Senate