New York State’s new bail reform laws present a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a fundamental shift away from the ineffective and immoral use of jails as a response to failures of our social safety net, including acute housing, drug user health and mental health needs. This shift has already begun, as people prohibited from pre-trial detention are getting connected to counseling, drug treatment, housing and other services — options that were not previously made available. However, to maximize the positive impacts of the reforms, resources for our communities must be strengthened and expanded. We know what the drivers of incarceration are. We know what stands in the way of New Yorkers successfully re-entering their communities. We know how to fix it.
