Jun 24, 2021New York State’s Family Reunion Program is Positive, Emotionally Nurturing and Reinforces Family BondingEarlier this year, New York State Senator Pamela Helming (54th district) introduced a bill (S2575) that would make permanent the hardships thousands of New York families have suffered during the Covid-19 crisis. The proposed law would require the commissioner of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision…4 min read4 min read
Mar 23, 2021After a Year of Neglect, New York Still Needs a Plan to Address the COVID Crisis in PrisonsThe following commentary is by Martha Ackelsberg, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Government and of the Study of Women and Gender, emerita, Smith College; and Advisory Board Member, Alliance of Families for Justice. Ever since the Coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, medical and other personnel warned that prisons—where…Coronavirus4 min readCoronavirus4 min read
Feb 22, 2021New York: End The One Year Suspension of Marriage Licenses for Incarcerated PeopleThe following letter is from Alliance of Families for Justice member Mimi. After 160 days of not being able to see, touch or kiss my significant other we were finally reunited on August 8, 2020. While DOCCS (the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision) didn’t allow any physical contact, they…New York2 min readNew York2 min read
Jan 22, 2021Love Makes Us Resilient Despite Poor Pandemic ResponseThe following essay is by AFJ member Kenya D. Thorpe about her marriage to the love of her life and their resilient love during the inhumane Covid-19 response in New York’s prison system. There are times when I sit down to write a letter and as a heading I use…Covid-198 min readCovid-198 min read
Dec 10, 2020Reflecting on the 2020 Elections: Empower Others, Empower Yourself Through Civic EngagementIn the following essay, AFJ’s executive director Soffiyah Elijah reflects on the importance of active civic engagement and AFJ’s voter registration efforts this year: For nearly two years, 17-year-old Amir had interned with the Alliance of Families for Justice (AFJ) performing a variety of mostly office related activities. However, his…Voting4 min readVoting4 min read
Dec 2, 2020One Couple’s Message About Love & Maintaining Bonds During The PandemicThe following are thoughts about the importance of visitation and maintaining bonds between incarcerated people and their loved ones — reflecting on its magnified importance during the coronavirus crisis. The authors are spouses ibn Kenyatta — an author, artist, and activist who has been incarcerated in New York since 1974…Prison2 min readPrison2 min read
Oct 20, 2020NY Voters: Hold Leaders Accountable For Failing Incarcerated People During Covid Crisis & Demand All New Yorkers Are EnfranchisedThe following is an essay by By: Judith Plaskow, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies at Manhattan College & Volunteer for Alliance of Families for Justice Even as the number of coronavirus cases is seriously declining in New York State, its jails and prisons have served as perfect petri dishes for…Voting4 min readVoting4 min read
Sep 8, 2020New Yorks’ Coronavirus Response Failures Show Us, Again, Why Incarcerated People Should Be Able To VoteThe following is letter from James Melchiorre, a volunteer with AFJ: Some of the greatest stress during the novel coronavirus pandemic has fallen on the nearly 40,000 incarcerated persons in the 52 state facilities under New York’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, as well as their family members who…Covid-192 min readCovid-192 min read
Sep 1, 2020Family to New York’s Department of Corrections: Reinstate The Family Reunion Program; It Can Be Done SafelyA letter from T.W., an AFJ family member: For many families of incarcerated people, the Department of Correction and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Family Reunion Program (FRP) is the only way to actually spend time with our loved ones and feel some type of ”normal”. You are able to do activities…Incarceration1 min readIncarceration1 min read
Jul 1, 2020Do Better New York: Protect Incarcerated Peoples’ LivesA Message From Soffiyah Elijah, Executive Director of Alliance of Families for Justice: Like many Black kids in the U.S. I learned at a very young age never to trust the cops. That was not a lesson that my parents taught me. …Covid-194 min readCovid-194 min read
