Criminal Justice & Family Court Reform

Governor’s Note: Reforming the justice system takes more than slogans—it takes experience, access, and execution. As your future governor, I don’t just bring lived experience, I bring a roadmap grounded in legal structure and legislative pathways. From stopping exploitative plea deals to restructuring how courts operate, this isn’t theory—it’s blueprint.

What It Takes to Get It Done: Here’s what makes this more than a wish list. I’ve already begun mapping out how these changes are pushed through Albany:

• Executive Authority: I will issue Executive Orders to create state-level review boards, transparency mandates, and technology pilot programs for court and parole reform.
• Legislative Partnership: I’ll work directly with Assembly and Senate members to sponsor legislation, including amending CPL 160 and Family Court Act §§240–249. I will offer model bills to allies and publish opposition logs to expose obstruction.
• Budget Control: As Governor, I will use line-item veto power to block judicial or agency budgets until key compliance and transparency goals are met.
• Regulatory Rewrite: Direct state agencies (DOCCS, OCFS, Division of Criminal Justice Services) to revise internal policy manuals and training modules in accordance with reform priorities.
• Statewide Engagement: Launch mandatory public hearings in every borough and upstate district to gather testimony, report violations, and guide accountability policy on family court and sentencing.
• Legal Force: Recruit a task force of pro-bono legal teams and constitutional scholars to file amicus briefs, expose misconduct, and publicly pressure bad actors in the system.
• Digital Oversight: Deploy new tech platforms that automate eligibility screening for expungements, track complaints in family court, and allow public access to court audio logs and decision records.

This is how a governor makes reform real. It’s not just talk—it’s hard policy, leveraged power, and relentless public engagement. If you’re tired of seeing change stall, elect someone who knows where the levers are—and isn’t afraid to pull them.

Why This Matters to You

For too long, our justice and family court systems have operated in the shadows—destroying lives and draining public trust. Here’s how it touches YOU, even if you’ve never stepped into a courtroom:

• New York ranks #1 in the nation for wrongfully convicted exonerations per capita since 1989, highlighting massive flaws in prosecution and oversight.
• 70% of incarcerated people in New York jails have not been convicted of a crime—most are simply too poor to afford bail.
• Over 95% of criminal cases in New York are resolved with plea deals—many signed under duress, misinformation, or fear of harsher sentences.
• Family courts can remove a child from their parent based on nothing more than “probable cause”—a bar far lower than criminal court standards.
• Federal Title IV-D programs reimburse states for collecting child support—encouraging systems that assign custody to maximize revenue, not child well-being.
• Only 4% of complaints against family court judges in New York are even investigated, let alone resolved or sanctioned.
• In 2021, the average New York taxpayer contributed nearly $42,000 per incarcerated person annually. That’s more than SUNY tuition.
• Children who lose contact with one parent due to biased custody rulings are twice as likely to drop out of school, become homeless, or enter the juvenile system.
• One in five adult New Yorkers has a criminal record. That means tens of thousands are locked out of jobs, housing, and education for life due to outdated laws.
• Public defender offices are overworked and underfunded, handling 500–900 cases per year, per attorney. Justice is delayed and denied.
• The Bronx courthouse has an average case resolution time of 807 days. That’s over two years just to get your day in court.
• Custody battles cost parents an average of $20,000–$50,000 in legal fees. Richer parents win by default—not merit.
• More than 30% of family court cases in NY involve parents navigating proceedings without any legal representation.
• Post-conviction relief motions are denied at a rate of 83% in New York—even in cases where misconduct is alleged.
• The American Bar Association has repeatedly criticized New York’s family court secrecy as a violation of transparency and due process.
• Recidivism rates drop by nearly 40% when record expungement is available. Fewer crimes, safer neighborhoods, and less burden on taxpayers.

This matters to you—whether you’re a parent, a taxpayer, a young person with a record, or someone who’s never been arrested. The system is rigged for failure. Together, we fix it, or we keep paying the price.

Policy #1: The Second Chance Sentencing & Record Reform Act

Policy #2: The Family Court Accountability & Equity Act