Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) strongly supports the immediate passage of S1553A (Myrie) / A6399 (Cruz). BDS provides multi-disciplinary and client-centered defense practice, representing clients in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters.

Our attorneys, social workers, and advocates represent and advocate for over 30,000 indigent Brooklyn residents every year. Today, 2.3 million New Yorkers -- our family, friends, neighbors -- live in a state of perpetual punishment because of their conviction record. Their convictions block them from accessing employment, housing, education, and other life essentials that enable individuals to thrive in their communities. And because of racism in our criminal legal system, these civil consequences disproportionately impact Black and brown New Yorkers and deepen already-existing racial inequalities in civic life.

New York can change this. We urge the legislature to pass Clean Slate legislation that would automatically clear conviction records for all New Yorkers who have successfully served their sentence.

View the full memo here.