Social Justice
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.
Mutual Aid to the Rescue
Both new and established groups of Hudson Valley residents rise to the challenge of COVID-19.
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 Trials of Nicole Addimando
The case of a Poughkeepsie woman convicted of killing her partner will test New York’s new sentencing guidelines for victims of abuse.
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.
New York Farmworkers Finally Have Labor Rights, But the Fight Isn’t Over
New legislation gives agricultural laborers the right to unionize and collect overtime pay, but neither side is thrilled with the final law.
Green Gold Rush
With a crowded field of groups each pushing their agenda, comprehensive cannabis legalization in New York falters.
Justice Delayed, Not Denied
Luis Martinez is an Undocumented Immigrant. But a Judge in the Southern District of New York Ruled that Everyone on American Soil Has a Right to Justice.
