ALBANY, NY – FWD.us New York State Director Alana Sivin issued the following statement today in response to the Senate and Assembly One-House Budgets rejecting further changes to bail reform:

“We applaud today’s One-House budgets from the Senate and Assembly that show a clear commitment to protecting bail reform and not rolling back this successful policy. The data is clear: reducing incarceration has not undermined public safety. Bail reform alone has kept $104 million in communities and has prevented at least 24,000 people from spending time in jail.

“Today’s One-House budgets reflect the need to reduce mass incarceration and advance evidence-based policymaking, recognizing that community investments like housing, violence prevention, and mental health treatment are some of the policies that will truly advance public safety across the state.

“We are hopeful that today’s budgets demonstrate lawmakers’ ongoing commitment to stand strong against any attempts to roll back bail reform, and to continue pursuing data-driven policies that actually make our communities safer.”