CA Press Release
CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR PATERSON'S CALL FOR DRUG LAW REFORM
For Immediate Release January 7, 2009
Contact: Robert Gangi Caitlin Dunklee
Executive Director Public Policy Project Associate
212-254-5700, ext. 305 212-254-5700, ext. 339
917-327-7648 646-269-7344
New York – “We are encouraged by the Governor’s reference to Rockefeller Drug Law reform in his State of the State speech,” stated Robert Gangi, Executive Director of the Correctional Association of New York. “He has certainly restored the issue to a central place in his legislative agenda, which is an important and positive step. Yet we are cautious about the final outcome and whether the Governor’s statement will actually lead to what should be the ultimate policy goal: meaningful restoration of sentencing discretion to judges in all drug cases. Only then will the State achieve as much as $280 million in savings annually, and establish a fair and sensible way of adjudicating drug cases”
“There is broad public understanding of the harsh effects of the Rockefeller Drug Laws which have proven to be ineffective, racially biased and unjust,” explained Caitlin Dunklee, Public Policy Associate at the Correctional Association. “Our statewide campaign, under the rubric of Drop the Rock, has already gathered over 20,000 signatures calling on state policymakers to repeal the Rockefeller Drug Laws – these numbers show wide support for Governor Paterson’s call for change.”
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