(BROOKLYN, NY) – Brooklyn Defender Services submitted a letter to the New York City Board of Correction (BOC) in advance of BOC’s January 10th meeting urging the BOC to reject a NYC Department of Correction (DOC) request for variances from the Board Minimum Standards that would limit the receipt of physical mail and external packages by people incarcerated in the city jails.

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Lucas Marquez, Associate Director / Interim Acting Director of Civil Rights & Law Reform with Brooklyn Defenders stated:

“The Department of Correction’s proposals to cut off physical mail and non-commercial packages to everyone in its custody is a drastic overreach that will only further dehumanize people in custody. As public defenders, we know these policies will cut people off from crucial family ties and subject them and their families to invasive and enduring surveillance. DOC claims to be implementing these policies to thwart drugs from entering the jails, however, such policies have been shown ineffectual at achieving that goal. Instead of adopting policies that profit private companies at the expense of incarcerated people and their families, DOC should take steps that would be effective in reducing overdoses, such as expanding harm reduction strategies, improving access to medical care, prioritizing treatment over incarceration, and reducing the jail population. We strongly urge the Board to deny DOC’s variance requests.”

View the full statement here.