GOSHEN – On a windy morning Wednesday, as snow flurries swirled, activists gathered in front of the Orange County Government Center in Goshen seeking decarceration of local residents.
“We have seen far too many times where community members have been incarcerated for small, minor infractions and are in jail for something they shouldn’t be,” said Vanessa Cid, a Middletown activist.
“And one thing that is really discouraging and disappointing is that funding is available to help these same folks with these resources, but they aren’t given out to the community because our sheriff and local Orange County elected officials take pride in incarcerating folks and getting money for the county that way.”
Ever since the state enacted bail reform early this year, people arrested for many offenses that previously landed them in jail are now released pending future court appearances.
“It’s not just for raising awareness for folks who live in the county, but also let it be known to our elected officials that we are watching,” said Cid. “And we know there is something that can be done.”
