Showing results by author "Debra Sterling Walters" in All Categories

Our weekly radio show airs on Walk 97.5 FM and highlights the humanity of the people who make up our community. We have guests on the show to discuss the myriad complexities within the criminal justice system.Legal Aid is the primary provider of indigent defense in criminal and family courts in Suffolk County. Simply put, if someone is accused of a crime or a family offense, they are entitled to counsel, and the courts will assign counsel if they do not have the wherewithal to afford a lawyer. We also provide support services for our clients in need of addiction intervention, housing, or ...

Treatment Not Jail Campaign for New York State S.2881B/A.8524A wants NYers who need treatment to have an off-ramp from criminalization and incarceration. Mass incarceration is fueled by New York’s failure to provide adequate services to address mental health and substance use needs. Judicial diversion, which allows people to access necessary treatment through the court system, serves only a small percentage of those in need of treatment. Amending Criminal Procedure Law Article 216 of the judicial diversion law expands eligibility for treatment for court-involved individuals and shifts the ...