Slide About Our History Our Stance News & Events Contact Join Us!

Slide Welcome to the New York State Jails Justice Network! Fighting for justice and against mass incarceration in New York State’s local county and city jails since 2015! Join our statewide network of justice-minded orgs Get Involved

Slide Who we are The NYS Jails Justice Network is a voluntary association of justice activists, advocates, and people and families directly impacted by incarceration, led by those most directly affected by the criminal IN-justice system. What We Do... Bringing together local grassroots activists and impacted individuals, families, and communities who are confronting the harmful effects of over-incarceration, racism, and oppressive conditions in the jails in their own localities. Our History... The New York State Jails Justice Network was born in 2015 as a project of the New York State Prisoner Justice Network, a grassroots statewide organization founded in 2009 by a group of Albany-based justice activists who convened New York’s first statewide Prisoner Justice Conference on March 27, 2010. The conference brought together anti-mass-incarceration activists, advocates, families, and formerly incarcerated people from all over the state for the first time, to confront the injustices of mass incarceration. Our Mission... The mission of the New York State Jails Justice Network is urgently needed and is unique in New York State. We bring together advocates, activists and directly impacted people throughout the state to confront the hugely destructive impact of local city and county jails, which on any given day hold around one-third of the people incarcerated in the state. Each locality is a separate jurisdiction, so local jails, especially upstate, are like little fiefdoms under the control of local sheriffs, largely invisible, accountable to no one, and subject to illegal, inhumane, racist, and abusive practices. Jails Justice Network exists to expose, challenge, protest, and change local and statewide jail policies, mitigate the abuses, and work toward deep decarceration and community-based alternatives. Read More trending_flat

People's Action at Erie County Holding Center Abuse/Deaths at Jail, August 29, 2019 (Broome County Jail in background) credit: Bill Martin “Womens Voices” Rally Outside County Building January 22 2022 credit: Bill Martin Rally vs Jail Abuse/Deaths at Jail, August 29,2019 credit: Bill Martin Protest Outside Broome County Jail 2018
credit: Kojo Senoo

Slide Subscribe to our low-traffic, jails specific email list for jail-related information, events, and meeting announcements. I want to stay informed We won't share your info with anyone. Ever!

A bald Black Man in a t shirt and jeans waves a flag with his right arm while holding a bullhorn in his left hand and looking upward towards the sky Lead the charge at Rensselaer County Jail March on Rensselaer County Jail March on Rensselaer County Jail March on Rensselaer County Jail March through the streets of Troy, NY leading to Rensselaer County Jail March through the streets of Troy, NY leading to Rensselaer County Jail March on Rensselaer County Jail

Slide We love feedback and input! How to find us NYS Jails Justice Network
33 Central Avenue
Albany, NY 12210 Contact Thomas Kearney, co-organizer, Tel.: (518) 720-9556
Jerome Wright, co-organizer, Tel.: (716) 907-5706
E-mail.: nysjjn@gmail.com. © Copyright 2022