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Take Action
A little bit goes a long way...

We have an unprecedented opportunity right now to overhaul New York's broken system of public defense, and we need your help.

  1. Contact your State leaders and urge them to make public defense reform a priority.

  2. Join our list of supporters and add your name (and time, if you can) to the cause. Over 200 organizations and hundreds of individuals have already joined, including the Innocence Project, NAACP New York Conference, Committee for Modern Courts, Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc., League of Women Voters of New York State, and National Alliance on Mental Illness – New York State.

  3. Join the CIPDC Facebook group
Contact Your State Leaders [back to top]

The Commission has wide support in both the Senate and the Assembly. But, the Governor and Senate and Assembly leaders won't act unless they know their constituents care about this issue.

Register your contact with the campaign once you're done.

Hon. David Paterson
(518) 474-8390
Email the Governor 		Governor of New York
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
Hon. Sheldon Silver
(518) 455-3791
Email the Speaker 		New York State Assembly Speaker
Legislative Office Building 932
Albany, NY 12248
Hon. Malcolm Smith
(518) 455-2701
Email the Majority Leader 		New York State Senate Majority Leader
909 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12247
Look up and contact your State Assembly-person

 Look up and contact your State Senator

Tell them, in your own words, some or all of the following:

  • The Governor and the Legislature should begin to implement former Chief Judge Kaye's recommendation for an Independent Public Defense Commission in the 2009 legislative session - this year!

  • You care about fairness.

  • The ongoing crisis in public defense hurts people.

  • New York is very late in reforming its public defense system.

  • New York's defective public defense system costs taxpayers money.

  • Public defense lawyers with time and resources to do their jobs well can help prevent wrongful convictions and expensive overuse of prisons and jails.

  • Create the Independent Public Defense Commission now!

Your personal contact can make a big difference! Thank you for continuing to fight for justice for all.


JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC DEFENSE COMMISSION

[back to top]

"Yes! I support an Independent Public Defense Commission heading a statewide, fully-funded public defender system."

First Name:*
Last Name:*
E-Mail:*
Add me as an individual supporter:
Add my organization/faith community as a supporter:

INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION

Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION

Organization:
Your Title:
Street Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:
Organizational E-Mail (if applicable):

(Note: * indicates required fields.)

I AM INTERESTED IN . . .

Calling on my state legislator to support an Independent Commission.
Attending or organizing events in my community to support the campaign.
Reaching out to my personal network to publicize campaign events and actions.
Writing letters to the editors of local newspapers about the need for reform.

   
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