May 18, 2015

Nature of the Crime

Today, Monday May 18, the statewide Parole Justice Now! coalition is releasing their new film, "The Nature of the Crime," online in conjunction with its première in the state Capitol to pressure the legislature to pass the Safe and Fair Evaluations (SAFE) Parole Act.

This short documentary tells the story of how fourteen people in New York State control the freedom of tens of thousands of men and women. They are called the Parole Board and they determine whether people in prison with indefinite sentences are ready to be released.  Every year 10,000 people are denied parole. Many people are denied repeatedly – for some, this can mean up to 20+ extra years in prison – due to the "nature of their crime," something they can never change.