Social Justice
Social Justice
‘Stop and Frisk’ Finds Few Guns, Many Critics in Kingston
A joint law enforcement campaign made over 1,300 stops, but nabbed only five firearms.
Rethinking Crime and Punishment: Restorative Justice in the Hudson Valley
A program in Ulster County seeks repair, rather than retribution, for criminalized behavior. Can it be a model for a fairer criminal justice system?
Liberation on the Land: Soul Fire Farm
An interview with program director Naima Penniman about the BIPOC-centered community farm’s efforts to fight racism and injustice in the food system through training and creating equitable distribution networks.
Officer Involved in Recent Killing Accused of Excessive Force in Previous Case
Involved in the shooting of Tyrell Fincher, Ricardo Rivera is also accused of nearly hitting Lakeem Thompson with a squad car, then attacking him with a canine—all for a traffic violation.
On the Ground With the Young Activists Transforming Newburgh
A photo series showcasing justice activists in one of New York’s most interesting and historic cities.
Prison Visitation in the Era of COVID-19
New York correctional facilities have been closed to visitors since March, depriving the incarcerated of vital contact with their loved ones. But a DOCCS reopening plan has done little to assuage concerns, some of which predate the pandemic.
Black Lives Matter Rally Met With Violence in Pleasant Valley
Counterprotesters shouted ‘blue lives matter,’ racial slurs, and assaulted multiple rallygoers. The march had been coordinated with local law enforcement, which did little to intervene.
Hunger in the Hudson Valley, Before and After COVID-19
As the pandemic spread nationwide, so did breadlines—for the first time since the Great Depression. In Ulster County, a unique volunteer response prevented such a crisis. At least for a while.
The Contentious Struggle Over the Kingston Academy Green Monuments
Activists seeking to remove statues of enslavers and colonizers are facing racist backlash from bigots.
What Does It Mean to Defund the Police?
Every police reform that governments have tried has failed to address and correct what is toxic in American law-enforcement culture.
Online Threats, Unease Mar BLM Protest in Cobleskill
A June 4 march was canceled after a series of threatening comments from residents on Facebook. But local activists are not backing down.
At the Black Lives Matter Protests in the Hudson Valley
On the ground in nine municipalities across the region.
Lost In Translation During the Coronavirus Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes the need for language justice for non-English speakers in the Hudson Valley.
You Broke It, You Build It
The owner of a building that collapsed in Poughkeepsie has been sued multiple times. So why is he being approved for other development projects?
The Long-Awaited Arrival of Bail Reform
New York’s transformative pretrial and bail reforms go into effect in 2020. They should create a more fair, equal, and compassionate criminal justice system.
A Slumlord in Newburgh
How one landlord's poor track record reflects a systemic failure.
Will New York’s Green Light Law Get the Green Light Everywhere?
Opposition remains strong to the bill Cuomo signed this summer, which is set to go into effect next month.
Restorative Justice and the Ulster County DA Race
The fight for the top law enforcement position in the county pits an experienced prosecutor against a reformist victims' rights attorney.
