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@
ScottHech
Brooklyn, NY
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Public Defender. Senior Staff Attorney & Dir. of Policy at Brooklyn Defender Services (@bklyndefender). Observations from frontlines of (in)justice. Views mine.
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१३,४३२
ट्विट्स
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३,९१७
फॉलोइंग
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४९,२६२
फॉलोअर्स
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| Scott Hechinger यांनी पुन्हा ट्विट केले | ||
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Claire Madill
@cvmadill
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१ ता |
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On most days, I worry greatly for our criminal injustice system. So many people in the system throw lives away without a blink of an eye. This gives me hope that, a generation from now, these fifth graders will be the judges and prosecutors instead. 💙 twitter.com/ScottHech/stat…
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| Scott Hechinger यांनी पुन्हा ट्विट केले | ||
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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३ ता |
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A 56 y/o man on parole living in a half-way house was shot in back when picking up donations from Nipsey Hussle. Caught in line of fire. Arrested & now jailed by parole for associating with “known gang member.” Facing re-incarceration. Parole is a problem. fox6now.com/2019/04/12/tmz…
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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१ ता |
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For more on this issue, the history of probation and parole, movements across country, injustice & alternatives to this horrible, irrational, criminogenic status quo, read this excellent report by @VinSchiraldi & @Columbia Justice Labs👇.
justicelab.columbia.edu/sites/default/…
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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“Less is More” would:
-Prohibit arrests/incarceration for most technical violations.
-Give earned time credit for good behavior.
-Require robust due process severely restricting pre-hearing jail for parole arrests.
-Enhance rehabilitation. nysenate.gov//legislation/b…
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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Good news: states finally starting to make needed changes: “Earned time credit”—For every 30 days successful get 30 days shaved off end of parole. Restrictions on incarceration for technical violations. The “Less is More” bill in NY would be transformative:nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-ope…
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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Kerry Lathan, the 56 y/o shooting victim, now wheelchair bound, is locked up in LA county jail & likely heading back to prison not bc he did anything wrong but bc of the failures of our parole system. Parole is not an alternative to incarceration. It is a perpetual punishment.
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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Now there’s only one viable option if you violate conditions of parole: Incarceration. Parole incurs zero costs. All costs externalized onto prison budgets. Also: Parole officers, are inherently risk averse. Something goes wrong, they get blamed. Incarceration is “safe” option.
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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While budget for prison grew in proportion to numbers of people being incarcerated, parole budgets stagnated. While parole numbers grew over 200% from 1980-2007, budget only increased 12%. Historically, parole would “step up” resources if things went wrong. No longer $$ for that.
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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The same forces that drove mass incarceration created “mass supervision.” Parole officers no longer trained in social work but in law enforcement. Punishment mentality took over. Rehabilitation didn’t just dissapear. It became impossible. I’ll explain:
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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Parole originated as an “alternative to incarceration.” Supposed to be rehabilitative. Historically parole officers were trained social workers. Goal was rooted in fairness & logic. Help release more people earlier & give them tools to stay out of prison & heal. What happened?
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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Due process barely exists. If parole officer says there was a violation you can be arrested. Once arrested, there is no right to release. No bail hearing. Jailed pending hearings that can take weeks/months to happen. No right to appointed counsel. Facing years. Sometimes life.
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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Majority of parole violations are “technical” violations of these strict rules NOT new arrests. In NY: These violations make up 1/3 of ALL new prison admissions. And before prison, people spend on average 99 days in jail awaiting their hearing to ultimately send them there.
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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२ ता |
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People on parole already face near impossible challenges. A record excludes you from most housing, jobs, benefits. Then add on average 20 restrictions from curfew & onerous reporting to no events w/ alcohol & no associating w/ anyone w/ a record. One slip could mean prison.
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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३ ता |
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A 56 y/o man on parole living in a half-way house was shot in back when picking up donations from Nipsey Hussle. Caught in line of fire. Arrested & now jailed by parole for associating with “known gang member.” Facing re-incarceration. Parole is a problem. fox6now.com/2019/04/12/tmz…
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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३ ता |
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Being a parent to a 3.5 y/o. By 845am: The sofa, cushions, stool, & ottoman have become an obstacle course (“My masterpiece” he called it). A funny costume dance party to “Mambo #5” (found on 90s R&B/Rap mix). Then outside for bubbles. Lots of bubbles. Now bath. Need more coffee. pic.twitter.com/SmagfDDKIu
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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४ ता |
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Arizona prosecutor accused of persistent sexual harassment & touching of employees. He’s protected by his boss & still allowed to prosecute other people. My clients regularly get suspended from their jobs, lose housing & even their children for far less.azcentral.com/story/news/loc…
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| Scott Hechinger यांनी पुन्हा ट्विट केले | ||
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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१२ एप्रि |
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There is so rarely any accountability for police officers even when they do horrific things caught on camera & lie about them. Creates a sense of invincibility, which, when paired w/ weapons, anger, a bad day, racism, whatever, can lead to ultra violent actions, injury, & death.
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| Scott Hechinger यांनी पुन्हा ट्विट केले | ||
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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१२ एप्रि |
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Police brutality is expensive. “A 2015 Wall Street Journal study found that the 10 biggest police depts in country had over the previous 5 years spent a collective $1.02 billion to settle cases that included shootings, beatings, & wrongful imprisonments.”harpers.org/archive/2018/1…
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| Scott Hechinger यांनी पुन्हा ट्विट केले | ||
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
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१२ एप्रि |
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Last year, Chicago paid out over $100 million to settle police misconduct & abuse cases. Police departments do not internalize that cost. Taxpayers do. By extension, communities are deprived needed funds for poverty alleviation, drug treatment, housing.
twitter.com/matthewferner/…
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| Scott Hechinger यांनी पुन्हा ट्विट केले | ||
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Brooklyn Defender Services
@BklynDefender
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१२ एप्रि |
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NYC's child welfare system tears families apart bc of marijuana use, subjecting parents to unfair scrutiny, onerous unnecessary treatment programs and other barriers to reunification. Often stemming from testing pregnant women, with questionable consent. gothamist.com/2019/04/11/mar…
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