“The Clean Slate Act would seal old conviction records for certain crimes. Advocates say New Yorkers with criminal convictions who have served their time could more easily obtain jobs, housing and educational opportunities to help remake their lives.”

“‘Every single client I saw hauled off to a jail cell because they didn’t have enough money to pay their cash bail created the incentive in me to question how we could attack the cash bail system from the front end.'”

“No New Yorker was any safer for rich people buying their way out, or poor people languishing in jail.”

“Advocates who have called for changes to New York’s criminal justice system are starting a new effort to overhaul how people are sentenced to prison.”

“Despite the study, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts says the federal judiciary has worked hard to make sure defendants aren’t detained “unless the law identifies a specific need to protect the public.”