FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Contact: Yonah Zeitz, yonah@katalcenter.org • 347-201-2769
Follow on Twitter @KatalCenter • #ShutRikers
Katal Applauds the New York City Council for Overriding Mayor to Pass the How Many Stop Act and Ending Solitary Confinement in NYC Jails
Major Win for NYC Communities Impacted by Rikers & Biased Policing
Statement by Katal Center
New York, NY: Today, the New York City Council passed two public safety and accountability measures over the veto of Mayor Eric Adams – Intro 549A – Ending Solitary Confinement and Intro 586 – How Many Stops Act. For decades, community groups have worked to end the torturous practice of solitary confinement in the Department of Correction due to the immense suffering and devastating harm it causes. Similarly, communities impacted by racist policing have long called for more transparency and accountability around the practices of the NYPD. This is a historic day for those
Yonah Zeitz, Director of Advocacy of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice: “Today is a major win for communities impacted by Rikers and biased policing, as well as all New Yorkers who care about safety, justice, and accountability—the How Many Stops Act and Ending Solitary Confinement is now law in New York City. Mayor Adams waged a disingenuous misformation against these common-sense bills, and he lost. The City Council rejected the mayor’s push to continue the tortuous practice of solitary confinement and to absolve the NYPD from being held accountable for their policing practice. We applaud the City Council Speaker and Council Members for choosing to side with communities and advance justice, fairness, and transparency in our City.
Now that the City Council has passed these long overdue reforms, we urge them to build off these reforms to take urgent action to address the ongoing crisis at Rikers which has taken the life of two incarcerated people this month alone. NYC must cut the city’s jail population and the budgets used for caging people, shut down Rikers, and invest in things that produce real public safety: housing, healthcare, education, jobs.”
About the campaign: #ShutRikers is a campaign of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice. Katal and our allies are working to cut the correctional populations and the budgets used for caging people; shut down Rikers Island; and invest in real public safety: housing, health care, education, and jobs.
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