Absence of Light is a project created in collaboration with incarcerated people at Auburn Correctional Facility in Auburn, New York. This is an account from Absence of Light Columnist Clifford Graham, who recently transferred to Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome, New York.

Civil rights organizations have been fighting a war against mass incarceration for decades. On May 10, at the 244th legislative session, bill No. A7442 was introduced to the New York Assembly by Assembly member David Weprin titled, “Provides for inmates to earn good behavior allowance credits while incarcerated.”

In short, this bill explains how an inmate shall receive an additional month of credit off of their sentence for every month of participation in programs, excluding inmates serving a sentence for a class A-I felony offense. Prisoners are calling it “30 for 30.” Sadly, after studying the bill, I noticed that there was only one individual sponsor, Assembly member Weprin. Also, the bill is still in committee.

Fast forward a month later to June 10, which was in the same legislative session, when bill No. S1144A passed in the Senate and the Assembly. Sen. Brian Benjamin, along with 27 others, sponsored the bill, which was later signed into law. That bill was titled, “Relates to revocation of community supervision.”

In short, this bill explains how a parolee’s community supervision shall be reduced by 30 days for every 30 days that such person does not violate a condition and remains in compliance with all conditions of his or her community supervision. Parolees are calling that a “30 for 30.”

I wondered why Bill No. A7442 was not sponsored by the same number of senators or assembly members, especially since both bills are replicas of one another, in language and in application, only differing in whom each bill applies to. Both bills’ mission or purpose is to encourage good behavior like showing a toddler who’s crying and kicking their favorite candy to persuade them to stop. That is what bill No. A7442 is doing.

Over the years I have heard so many organizations scream in protest against mass incarceration. Organizations like JustLeadershipUSA, VOCAL-NY, Center for Community Alternatives, RAPP, NYCLU, NAACP, Correctional Association of New York, The Legal Aid Society, Appellate Advocates, REFORM Alliance, the Justice Initiatives, The Marshall Project, Incarceration Nations Network and many respectable others have been fighting for change.

Are we serious about ending this system of control or not? Why does Assembly member Weprin stand alone on Bill No. A7442, a bill that has major potential to slice the New York state prison population in half once enacted?

A word to the legislators who endure so much during their terms having to be well-informed so that they can intimately understand the temperament and character for whom they legislate. I overheard an elder prisoner say, “The law to a certain extent should correct national tendencies. It should be loved a little because it is felt to be just, feared a little because it is severe, hated a little because it is to a certain degree out of sympathy with the prevalent temper of the day, and respected because it is felt to be necessary.”

There is so much more to be said and done regarding the law — another time perhaps, but for now, #A7442.

Cliff Graham, # 15-B-2973
Syracuse, New York.
Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome, New York.
I can be reached at JPay-Inmate Tablet Program via email for any opinions, comments or wise counsel.

Published on November 28, 2021 at 11:51 pm