Discovery Reform in New York: What Can the Data Tell Us?
This report examines how New York’s 2020 discovery reform law has been implemented across New York City, the four downstate suburban counties (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester,
We research the criminal legal system to inform just and equitable policies.
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It’s been 5 years since New York passed sweeping criminal justice reforms, including changes to bail & discovery laws. What were the key changes? How have they been implemented? What does the data reveal about their impact?⬇️🧵
@Gothamist @samanthaellimax
https://gothamist.com/news/love-it-or-hate-it-new-yorks-hotly-debated-bail-reform-law-just-turned-5
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In 2023, DCJ released a study on bail reform’s impact on recidivism. Findings show eliminating bail reduced rearrests for some groups, like those charged with misdemeanors & no recent arrests, though rearrests rose slightly for a small “high-risk” group.
https://datacollaborativeforjustice.org/work/bail-reform/does-new-yorks-bail-reform-law-impact-recidivism-a-quasi-experimental-test-in-the-states-suburban-and-upstate-regions/
DCJ Director Michael Rempel says NYC’s too-high jail population and known barriers to closing Rikers are solvable. He outlines current challenges & actionable steps the City can take to stay on track to close Rikers Island.⬇️🧵
@arjunamike @CityAndStateNY https://www.cityandstateny.com/opinion/2025/01/opinion-despite-undeniable-obstacles-rikers-island-can-still-be-closed/402160/?oref=csny-homepage-river
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📈Check out our real-time dashboard tracking NYC’s progress toward closing Rikers by 2027. With daily updates, it shows jail population trends, racial disparities, mental health stats, and more - plus forecasts jail population trends 1yr into the future. https://nyc-jail-population-tracker.datacollaborativeforjustice.org
NY's bail reform aimed to make bail affordable with "partially secured bonds" (PSBs), requiring 10% or less upfront.
But @scrutinize_org & @nyucrimlaw found in over 80% of cases, judges set PSBs in ways which prevented them from being an affordable option.
On Dec 12, we explored Public Health & the NY Criminal Legal System. As follow-up:
📄 FACT SHEET: Up-to-date indicators of health:
🎥VIDEO of the event: https://datacollaborativeforjustice.org/event/public-healths-role-in-the-criminal-legal-system/ @P2PH
A NY bill proposed by @zellnor4ny & @MicahLasher would speed up the transfer of discovery -- enabling prosecutors to be compliant with discovery laws, conduct timely review of evidence, and ultimately encourage earlier resolution of cases.
@bleereporter
➡️https://law.com/newyorklawjournal/2025/01/06/to-speed-criminal-discovery-ny-bill-proposes-police-to-prosecutor-pipeline-for-records/?slreturn=20250108132548
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The impact of discovery reform rests on how well it is implemented and enforced. In 2022, DCJ released a brief outlining the major legislative provisions of the initial discovery reform law (2020) and subsequent amendment (2022).
📌https://datacollaborativeforjustice.org/work/case-processing/discovery-reform-in-new-york-major-legislative-provisions/
.@GovKathyHochul has signed a bill expanding race identification options -- a critical step toward more inclusive data collection, which is essential for crafting informed policies & addressing the unique challenges different communities face.
@Gothamist