Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright's January 2014 Community Update
3
RAISING THE AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY IN NEW YORK STATE Greetings friends and neighbors! I hope that you enjoyed a peaceful and enjoyable holiday season spent with your loved ones. As we welcome a new year with open arms and renewe d hopes for a better and brighter New York I would like to bring your attentio n to one of the most critical social justice issues facing our community. As a legislator in what I believe to be the nations leading state for meaningful and progressive public policy I remain deeply concerned that New York is one of only two states where "# and "$ year%old offenders are prosecuted as adults. &hile there is a powerful movement already underway to urge the reform of this unfair and destructive stain on our criminal justice system and time is running out. 'ach year that goes by without reform means that another ()*** youth will be arrested and processed as adults in New York. +he problem runs deeper than the manner in which "# and "$ year%olds are ,uestioned stopped and frisked. -rom the time of arrest because they are treated as adults "# and "$ year%olds are not afforded the procedural protection of parental notification or consent prior to being ,uestioned by law enforcement. -urthermore the enter on /uvenile and riminal /ustice reports that nationwide African%Americans represent 0#1 of juvenile arrests ((1 of youth who are detained (#1 of the youth who are judicia lly waived to crimi nal court and )21 of the youth admitted to state correctional facilities. -rom start to finish the odds are stacked impossibly high against our young men and women. 3espite the endless research and statistical evidence proving the harmful effects of this policy the injustice continues. According to data from the orrectional Association of New York 4tate youth confined in adult facilities are 5# times more likely to commit suicide. +hese same youth are "** percent more likely to face physical assault than their adult counterparts. 6ur criminal justice system is thought to be borne of a belief in rehabilitation but for these individuals it is simply not the case. After their release youth who have been incarcerated with adult offenders are shown to be more likely to commit future acts of crime and violence. +he recidivism rates alone for this vulnerable population are enough to demonstrate that the system is failing our youth and condemning them to a future wrought with crime as well as last ing mental and emotional hardship. &e 784+ raise the age of criminal responsibility. ommunity organi9ations advocacy groups probation and parole departments and local governments have openly e:pressed their support for this reform. I am committed to lending my voice and all of the confidence vested in my office to ensuring that this important issue is brought to the forefront of the agenda as we enter the 0*"( legislative session. -or more information on the facts behind raising the age visit www.raisetheageny.com COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS Enlightenment, Strange Mathemati! " Rh#thmi E$%ati&n! A'r&'%t%ri!m an( )STEAM) E(%ati&n Th%r!(a#, *an%ar# +, -./ 0 12--3m 0 +2--3m +he program will introduce artists and their works in relationship to ;4+'A7; <science technology engineering art math= education. +he panel discussion and supporting presentatio ns will e:plore topics such as fractal geometry ,uantum physics and symmetry and how artists are working with scientists and mathematicians to create tools that inform future projects. The St%(i& M%!e%m in Harlem TEAM WRIGHT AT WORK onstituent 7s. >arris a disabled senior citi9en visited our dis tric t off ice loo kin g for ass ist anc e wit h he r o n'd iso n utility bill. 7s. >arris was months behind on her bill and faced termination of her electricity. 6ur office contacted the New York ity >uman ?esource Administration <>?A= to determine 7s. >arris@s eligibility for the 8tilit y Assi st an ce r og ram <8A = which assi st s individuals who re,uire financial assistance with their energy bi lls . &e ai de d 7s. >a rri s to comp le te on 'd ison @s def err ed pay ment ag reemen t due to med ica l hards hip which will alleviate the financial burden and ensure the continuation of her electric service moving forward. An&ther e4am3le &' Team Wright at 5&r6 in #&%r
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Transcript of Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright's January 2014 Community Update
8/13/2019 Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright's January 2014 Community Update
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/assemblyman-keith-lt-wrights-january-2014-community-update 1/2
RAISING THE AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY IN NEW YORK STATE
Greetings friends and neighbors!
I hope that you enjoyed a peaceful and enjoyable holiday season spent with your loved ones. As we welcome a newyear with open arms and renewed hopes for a better and brighter New York I would like to bring your attention toone of the most critical social justice issues facing our community. As a legislator in what I believe to be the nationsleading state for meaningful and progressive public policy I remain deeply concerned that New York is one of onlytwo states where "# and "$ year%old offenders are prosecuted as adults. &hile there is a powerful movement alreadyunderway to urge the reform of this unfair and destructive stain on our criminal justice system and time is running out.
'ach year that goes by without reform means that another ()*** youth will be arrested and processed as adults inNew York.
+he problem runs deeper than the manner in which "# and "$ year%olds are ,uestioned stopped and frisked. -romthe time of arrest because they are treated as adults "# and "$ year%olds are not afforded the procedural protectionof parental notification or consent prior to being ,uestioned by law enforcement. -urthermore the enter on /uvenileand riminal /ustice reports that nationwide African%Americans represent 0#1 of juvenile arrests ((1 of youth whoare detained (#1 of the youth who are judicially waived to criminal court and )21 of the youth admitted to statecorrectional facilities. -rom start to finish the odds are stacked impossibly high against our young men and women.
3espite the endless research and statistical evidence proving the harmful effects of this policy the injusticecontinues. According to data from the orrectional Association of New York 4tate youth confined in adult facilities
are 5# times more likely to commit suicide. +hese same youth are "** percent more likely to face physical assaultthan their adult counterparts. 6ur criminal justice system is thought to be borne of a belief in rehabilitation but forthese individuals it is simply not the case. After their release youth who have been incarcerated with adult offendersare shown to be more likely to commit future acts of crime and violence. +he recidivism rates alone for this vulnerablepopulation are enough to demonstrate that the system is failing our youth and condemning them to a future wrought
with crime as well as lasting mental and emotional hardship.
&e 784+ raise the age of criminal responsibility. ommunity organi9ations advocacy groups probation and paroledepartments and local governments have openly e:pressed their support for this reform. I am committed to lendingmy voice and all of the confidence vested in my office to ensuring that this important issue is brought to the forefrontof the agenda as we enter the 0*"( legislative session.
-or more information on the facts behind raising the age visit www.raisetheageny.com
COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Enlightenment, Strange Mathemati! " Rh#thmiE$%ati&n! A'r&'%t%ri!m an( )STEAM) E(%ati&n
Th%r!(a#, *an%ar# +, -./ 0 12--3m 0 +2--3m
+he program will introduce artists and their works inrelationship to ;4+'A7; <science technology
engineering art math= education. +he panel discussionand supporting presentations will e:plore topics such asfractal geometry ,uantum physics and symmetry and
how artists are working with scientists andmathematicians to create tools that inform future
projects.
The St%(i& M%!e%m in Harlem144 West 125th Street New York, NY, 10027
TEAM WRIGHT AT WORK
onstituent 7s. >arris a disabled senior citi9en visited ourdistrict office looking for assistance with her on'disonutility bill. 7s. >arris was months behind on her bill andfaced termination of her electricity.
6ur office contacted the New York ity >uman ?esourceAdministration <>?A= to determine 7s. >arris@s eligibility for
the 8tility Assistance rogram <8A= which assistsindividuals who re,uire financial assistance with their energybills. &e aided 7s. >arris to complete on 'dison@sdeferred payment agreement due to medical hardship which will alleviate the financial burden and ensure thecontinuation of her electric service moving forward.
An&ther e4am3le &' Team Wright at 5&r6 in #&%r&mm%nit#7
8/13/2019 Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright's January 2014 Community Update
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/assemblyman-keith-lt-wrights-january-2014-community-update 2/2
Assemblyman Wright brings G!ernr C"m t Harlem t #eli!er
!er $%% b&s' tys an# garments at Minisin& T(nh"se
)r mre in*rmatin r i* y" ha!e any +rblems (e ,an hel+ sl!e' +lease # nt hesitate
t ,nta,t "r **i,e #ire,tly- We are al(ays here t hel+-
Assemblyman Keith L.. Wri!ht
1"# West 125th Street, S$ite %11Albany, New York 10027
212&'""&5'0%& (hone
212&'"4&1#"'& )a*
wri!htk+nysa.$shtt-www./aebook.omassemblymanwri!ht
htt-www.twitter.omwri!ht4harlem
htt-assembly.state.ny.$smema3070
A./ANY
UP0ATE
Ne5 legi!lati&n t& all&5 immigrant! t&3ratie la5 in Ne5 Y&r6 State
Immigration reform is one of the most
critical matters facing our country and in just last year I joined my colleagues in theAssembly in voting to pass the 3?'A7 Act
so that no students path to a collegeeducation would be obstructed because oftheir status. It is with this same convictionthat I have recently introduced legislation
A89:.1that would allow a ,ualifiedindividual to practice law in New York 4tate
regardless of their immigration status.
You can track the status of this and all myother legislation online at
www.httpBCCassembly.state.ny.usClegC
/USINESS
SPOT.IGHT
*&; Fair NYCTh%r!(a# *an%ar# .<, -./H&li(a# Inn Mi(t&5n H&tel
//- W =1th StreetNe5 Y&r6, NY .--.+
.-AM t& PM>?en(&r !et%3 ;egin! at +AM@
B%!ine!! 3r&'e!!i&nal attire "re!%me are re$%ire(
Small ti3! '&r !%e!!always have multiple copies of your
resume on hand!
KI01S CORNER
St%(i& M%!e%m in Harlem
Free A(mi!!i&n, eer# S%n(a# .< PM
Docated at "(( &est "0)th 4treet<Eetween Deno: Ave. and $th Avenue=
+he 4tudio 7useum in >arlem is thene:us for artists of African descent locallynationally and internationally and for workthat has been inspired and influenced byblack culture. It is a site for the dynamice:change of ideas about art and society.
FisitB httpBCCwww.studiomuseum.orgC or call
<0"0= 2#(%()** for more information.
Chil(ren! M%!e%m &' Manhattan>CMOM@
Free A(mi!!i&n, 'ir!t Fri(a# &' eer#m&nth =9 PM
0"0 &est 25rd 4t <Eetween Eroadway Amsterdam Avenues=
767 inspires children and families tolearn about themselves and our culturally
diverse world through a uni,ueenvironment of interactive e:hibitions andprograms. 767 focuses on four priorityareas to impact children in ways that willlast a lifetimeB 'arly childhood educationprepares children for success in school
creativity in the arts and sciences inspirescreative and analytical thinking skills for
lifelong learning healthy lifestylesprograms provide a blueprint for a family@s
physical emotional and environmental well%being e:ploration of world cultures
gives children awareness andunderstanding and conte:t for the diverse
society in which we all live.
FisitB httpBCCwww.cmom.orgC or call <0"0= $0"%"05( for more information.
