While criminal behavior lacks justification in many people's eyes, mental illness plays a critical role in many crimes in New York. Perpetrators who suffer from ongoing mental trauma and subsequent illness often lack access to needed resources to provide support and...
New York City and state prisons have been the subject of significant accusations regarding civil rights violations. While they are serving time as a penalty for criminal actions, prisoners deserve human dignity and respect. These are some of the key initiatives of the...
Whether you are attending a rally or simply running errands, you may encounter a member of law enforcement. While being polite may help you avoid a conflict, you have no general legal obligation to respect the police. Still, disrespectful behavior may lead to an...
Many New Yorkers who are black have probably experienced poor treatment at area retail stores because of stereotypes about their race. While many notorious cases of racial profiling have happened at New York’s priciest stores, it is common at the neighborhood grocery...
When you come in contact with law enforcement, you maintain certain rights in many situations. Understanding exactly what rights you have in specific places may help you avoid an unnecessarily stressful or harrowing situation. When authorities pull you over in your...
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides the people with some of the most important protections against police misconduct. Among other things, it prohibits unreasonable search and seizure. While courts have long disagreed about what counts as...
The national turmoil sparked by the apparently racist killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers has resulted in a number of inquiries into alleged racism by municipal and police department officials across the country. One such inquiry has erupted inside...
On June 9, 2020, New York State lawmakers moved history forward by voting to repeal Sec. 50-a of the New York Civil Rights law, a state law that enabled police departments to withhold officers’ disciplinary records from public view. The vote came in response to the...
There are many civil rights that people have including: The right to vote The right to a public education The right to have an attorney represent you The right to use governmental services The right to an unbiased and fair trial And many others Of all the civil...
Encounters with law enforcement officials can be intimidating, no matter the circumstances. When New Yorkers are faced with explaining themselves to badged and often armed officers, they may feel threatened or even scared of what may happen if the officers’ suspicions...