Hawkins, Jones, Portelli, Jimenez to Speak on Criminal Justice Reform
Thursday, Aug. 7 at 7 PM at Ethical Culture Society, 2 W. 64th St.

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, will be joined by his three statewide running mates on Thursday, August 7 at 7 PM at the Criminal Justice Candidates Forum. The Forum at the NY Society for Ethical Culture will be at 2 West 64th St. (at Central Park W) in Manhattan.

Among the other 20 candidates speaking will be the Libertarian candidate for Governor and Zephyr Teachout, a gubernatorial candidate in the Democratic primary, as well as John Cahill, the Republican Attorney General candidate.

In addition to Hawkins, the statewide Green Party candidates speaking will be Brian Jones for Lt. Governor, Ramon Jimenez for Attorney General, and Theresa Portelli for State Comptroller. Green state Senate candidate Carl Lundgren is also speaking.

Among the issues Hawkins will address are the need for a Statewide Public Defenders Office, and the creation of a  Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission to study the impacts of mass incarceration on New Yorkers,  The goal of the Commission goal is to create a venue to explore the ways the state’s drug policies and justice system generally have lead to high incarceration rates and, in effect, legal discrimination against those with criminal records — especially within the black and Latino communities.

Among other criminal justice issues to be raised by Hawkins and the Green Party candidates are: legalization of marijuana; Broken Windows policy; justice for Eric Garner; raising the age of adult criminal responsibility to 18; banning solitary confinement; educational opportunities for prisoners; assistance to help ex-offenders find employment and housing; and alternatives to incarceration.