In the News
New York Daily News: Three strikes but still not out: Inside the Bronx ‘Opioid Court’ where addicts get extra swings at recovery
“Avery McNeil, the alternatives to incarceration specialist at the Bronx Defenders, a nonprofit legal organization, praised OAR for setting up a pathway that allows people to…
New York Daily News: New bail reform laws likely to change the face of Bronx ‘Opioid Court’
“The Bronx HOPE program is currently reserved for people charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree. Avery McNeil, the alternatives to…
Law360: Closing Rikers May Pave New Path For Mentally Ill Inmates
“New York City’s move to close the notorious prison Rikers Island could be an important step in making sure people suffering from mental illnesses, who…
Filter Magazine: What Harm Reductionists Think About Sesame Street’s Addiction Representation
“Dinah Ortiz, a parent advocate supervisor at The Bronx Defenders and a Filter contributor, is concerned that Sesame Street’s focus on the disease model of addiction, and…
NY1: Advocates Rally to Repeal 50A Law
The Police Commissioner supports making such records public as long as disciplinary hearings are completed and wrongdoing is confirmed. “But we also know that the…
Inside Higher Ed: Documentary to Showcase Education in Prison
Burns moderated a conversation following the preview among Congressman Bobby L. Rush; Novick; Max Kenner, executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative; DeAnna Hoskins, president…
The Appeal: New York Adopted Pretrial Reforms. Its DA Races Will Decide Who Implements Them.
“These elections will decide who implements the new laws, and who lobbies for or against future ones, in some of the state’s most populous upstate…
Into the Gloss: The Bronx Defenders
“Beauty allows us to shape our individual stories and find ways to connect to others all at once. With The Top Shelf we discover personal narratives through…
JustLove Radio: Helping People Reenter Society After Involvement with the Justice System
“Wes Caines is the Chief of Staff for The Bronx Defenders, a public defender non-profit serving the people of the Bronx, New York. Wes, who…
The Chief Leader: New Issues in Shift Of 17-Year-Old Inmates
“Under Raise the Age, older adolescents in New York City have better access to age-appropriate services and programs designed to promote rehabilitation, positive behavior change…