The passage and implementation of the Less Is More Act in 2021 has led to a smaller parole supervision system in New York State. Our preliminary analysis also shows that there has been a significant decrease in the number of people detained in jail for technical violations of parole. This reduction is one potential avenue for cost-savings to be reinvested into communities most affected by supervision in New York State. The Probation and Parole Reform Project of the Justice Lab at Columbia University partnered with the Less is More Coalition to learn how community members across New York State want to see potential cost-savings from Less is More invested into their communities. Our forthcoming report reflects what we learned from New Yorkers and provides policy and budgetary recommendations to strengthen communities across the state.
September 12, 2023