We work to dismantle a legacy of violence—the historically dehumanizing and racially disparate treatment of people of color in New York’s prisons. By transforming this culture of fear and control into one of care and respect, we can move to a prison system that upholds the safety and dignity of everyone.

We do this work by centering the voices of those most affected and by advancing policies and practices that restore safety and trust for everyone in the prison community—residents, staff, and families alike.

We reject the false choice between staff safety and the well-being of incarcerated people. In addition to providing transparency, oversight, and human rights to New York’s prison system, our policy efforts can help reduce the overcrowded prison system, reducing chaos and violence for the incarcerated, and alleviating pressures on correctional employees who have been outspoken about their working conditions. As we reduce the size of the system, we will also be better positioned to change its culture. As we work on these efforts, we will also be exploring a range of models that have been piloted in the United States and beyond to see what might be exported to New York to begin to shift prison culture.