Neighborhood Defender Service

This Saturday 9/7 is the 1st of our Family Law series, kicking off w/NDS-Harlem’s new Managing Director, Piyali Basak! Join us from 10 am-noon at the Harlem YMCA. #knowyourrights!

BREAKING: @nytimes op-ed calling for the passage of the Second Look Act. Joseph Sanchez writes: "I’m incarcerated with men who have earned college degrees...Despite bettering our lives, we have no opportunity to demonstrate our rehabilitation." nytimes.com/2024/09/08/opi…

The crisis at Rikers remains dire. Under @NYCMayor, the lack of transparency has gotten so bad that the @NYCCouncil has to propose laws requiring the DOC to publicly report the deaths and serious injuries of incarcerated people at Rikers. #ShutRikers nydailynews.com/2024/09/04/cou…

Join NDS & ⁦@CMYusefSalaam⁩ this Saturday, August 10 to learn more about our work to defend people accused of crimes. Know your rights!

Do we need more evidence to #closeRikers? No. Yet here's more. Kudos to @Gothamist & @samanthaellimax for this deeply reported piece.

Did the NYPD force you to remove a religious head covering for a post-arrest photo? You could get $7,824 or more from a class action settlement. ➡️ Visit headcoveringcase.com or call 1-833-637-4794 to learn more.

I was a public defender for years. Whether you call it solitary, “protective custody,” or the box: my clients were experiencing torture. I watched as it broke them down. This torture didn’t improve safety — it guaranteed trauma.

We love seeing @NY1 facilitating an important conversation about prison labor. Education is key—the more people that know of the impacts of the insidious exception in the 13th Amendment, the sooner we can truly end slavery in this country. ny1.com/nyc/all-boroug…

Great news for families with loved ones in prison.

Important public service announcement from our friends at @NYCLU

Kudos to Hays County, TX for creating a diversion program that helps people avoid the stigma and burden of a criminal record for low-level offenses. Invest in people, not jails! NDS is proud to serve as the county's public defender. bit.ly/4cRYzMU

Close Rikers. Can't say it enough.

🚨ACTION ALERT🚨: @NYCMayor wants to expand already bloated NYPD spending. Click to email your council member to demand @NYCCouncil take action for #NYCBudgetJustice and invest in services that truly benefit our communities instead: bit.ly/FY25BudgetJust… #CareNotCriminalization

NDS, @LegalAidNYC @BronxDefenders + @nyc_defenders criticize @nycprobation for special treatment of Trump: "All people convicted of crimes should be allowed counsel in their probation interview, not just billionaires." bit.ly/3VLSe01

‼️TAKE ACTION WEDS @ 9AM: Gov. Hochul just nominated 25 judicial candidates for review by the Senate by end of the legislative session. Judge Ward has a deeply concerning record. Join us to call the Judiciary Committee & urge them to Say No to Ward: bit.ly/TCNYDJune5

Current reform bills would: require CPS to inform parents of their rights; ensure that hospitals receive written consent from birthing moms before drug-testing; and allow parents whose children have been adopted to contact their children with a judge’s permission.

The story quotes NDS client advocate @MsBrewNYC: “According to this system, if you have money, that means you’re a better parent. Everything I do is for the betterment of my children. But if you’re Black or brown, once ACS knocks on your door, you are already guilty.”

More reporting via @TheImprintNews on civil rights panel's finding of bias against Black families by @ACSNYC. We urge @NYSenate + @NYSA_Majority to pass 4 key bills to address harms of the family policing system. @Center4FamRep @JMAC_org @BronxDefenders bit.ly/3yNmcHX

"This system exists with no oversight and largely without the knowledge — let alone the consent — of those being surveilled, including people who are not incarcerated." - @galeabrewer New bill would ban mass recording of calls made on jail phone system: thecity.nyc/2024/06/04/cou…

In one day we’ve surpassed the total that will ultimately be added to the waitlist - but you can keep applying this week! There will be a random selection of 200k after the app closes