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March 26, 2021

Buffalo News: "Buffalo's police recommendations 'barely move the needle,' critics say"

By Aaron Besecker | March 26, 2021 Mayor Byron W. Brown's draft recommendations for police reform in Buffalo released earlier this week fail to take adequate steps toward change and ignored community input, a group of activists and community groups said Friday.

March 25, 2021

The New York Times: "Opinion: Governor Cuomo, End Long-Term Solitary Confinement"

By The Editorial Board | March 25, 2021 The State of New York stands poised to overhaul the use of solitary confinement in its prisons and jails — a practice widely recognized as inhumane, arbitrary and counterproductive. Last week, state legislators passed the HALT (Humane Alternatives …

March 25, 2021

Buffalo News: "Report urging Sheriff's Office reforms approved by Erie County Legislature"

By Sandra Tan | March 25, 2021 The Erie County Legislature adopted a report Thursday recommending numerous Erie County Sheriff's Office reforms to foster diversity and transparency, hold deputies accountable, and improve community outreach and policing. 

March 16, 2021

Community Agenda Win: Off-Duty Police Officers Removed From Buffalo Public Schools

At the February 10, 2021 Buffalo Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Kriner Cash announced that off-duty police “have gone” from Buffalo Public Schools and “will no longer be in our school system.” This marks the first policy victory for PPG's 2021 Community Agenda.

March 10, 2021

Petition: The Community Restoration Project

This campaign focuses on the passage of three bills in the New York State Legislature: (1) legalizing marijuana and funding communities affected by the war on drugs;   (2) “Clean Slate,” which would allow for automatic expungement of many criminal records; and (3) equitable …

February 9, 2021

Understanding the Police Presence in Buffalo Public Schools

In 2020, at the request of a coalition of our partners, PPG began to research the police and security presence in Buffalo Public Schools. We learned that there are three types of security personnel that interact with Buffalo Public School students.

January 18, 2021

New Report Finds Poor Implementation of Governor Cuomo’s COVID-19 Order to Release People Accused of Technical Parole Violations from County Jails

In a press conference on Tuesday, January 19, at 10am, Partnership for the Public Good released a new policy brief, “Poor Implementation Puts Health at Risk: An Evaluation of the New York Release Program for People Incarcerated on Charges of Technical Parole Violations during the COVID-19 …

January 14, 2021

Update on stop receipt data, predictive policing, pretextual stops

PPG Policy Fellow submitted the following letter to the Buffalo Common Council Police Oversight Committee.

December 21, 2020

Buffalo News: "Advocates call for end of Buffalo police traffic enforcement as unit disbands"

By Maki Becker | December 17, 2020 Following news this week that the Buffalo Police Department is disbanding its traffic division, a local coalition of advocates for defunding the police are calling for the city to stop police enforcement of traffic altogether. Instead, the Fair Fines + …

December 8, 2020

WKBW: "A renewed push to repeal Buffalo's open container alcohol ban"

By Madison Carter | December 8, 2020 BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — “The arrest disparities are problematic. And arrest disparities have been problematic in Buffalo.” Tanvier Peart is the Just Recovery Coordinator/Buffalo LEAD Working Group Coordinator at the Partnership for Public …

December 4, 2020

WCNY: "Solitary confinement reform legislation would save NY money, report says"

By Tim Williams | December 4, 2020 As the state faces a large budget gap, criminal justice advocates are calling for the state to implement changes to solitary confinement, arguing it could save the state money. Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, Executive Director of Partnership for the …

December 4, 2020

Buffalo News: "The Editorial Board: Close the Alden jail"

News Editorial Board | Dec 4, 2020 The Partnership for the Public Good recently issued the report, “Shrinking Jails, Rising Costs: Erie County’s Wasteful Jail Budget.” Its principal author, Colleen Kristich, believes it is time for the county to make the switch to one …