Albany, NY – This week marks the one-year anniversary of the historic enactment of the Less Is More: Community Supervision Revocation Reform Act. As the most comprehensive parole reform measure yet passed in the U.S., Less Is More restricts the use of incarceration for non-criminal technical parole violations, bolsters due process for people accused of parole violations, and provides earned time credits for people on parole (see fact sheet for full details).
For years, the #LessIsMoreNY campaign worked to overhaul New York’s parole system to enhance re-entry and improve public safety. The coalition is a unique combination of people directly impacted by parole and incarceration, more than 300 groups across the state, District Attorneys representing more than half of the state’s population, and other law enforcement and corrections administrators – all working to reduce the use of incarceration for non-criminal technical parole violations, and strengthen reentry and public safety. One year after being signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul, the Less Is More Act has made a transformative impact on tens of thousands of New Yorkers in the parole system. In its first year, the new law cut the parole population in New York by nearly 40% – affording more than 13,000 New Yorkers the opportunity to secure housing, maintain employment, go back to school, reconnect with loved ones, and much more (see their stories here).
Dr. Vanda Seward, former statewide director of re-entry services at the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervisions, said: “After decades of significant injustices in the community supervision system, the one-year anniversary of the Less Is More Act marks a tremendous step forward in reforming our criminal justice system. As a former New York State Department of Community Supervision executive and practitioner for over 35+ years, I am happy to see people under community supervision finally receive the justice they deserve. This reform removes many of the restraints and stipulations that were imposed upon them and rewards those that are following the rules and doing well. This would not be possible without the New York State Community Supervision executives and parole officers who continue to assist in making this reform successful and far-reaching. The Less Is More Act is about helping persons under community supervision who no longer pose a threat to public safety continue on their path of building community capacity, enhancing the lives of their children and loved ones, and being a key player in the workforce. Thank you to all the elected officials, advocates, and organizations that this historic day possible.”