SAY YES TO REENTRY ASSISTANCE BILL (GATE MONEY REFORM)

In New York State, more than 9,000 individuals are released from custody annually with only “gate money.” The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) agency regulations state that “no less than $200 may be provided to individuals upon release”. However, this $200 is not a true allowance, instead, it is derived from an individual’s funds, held in their Inmate Fund Account.

Money in these accounts mostly derives from friends or family, and to a lesser degree, prison wages. Wages in New York range from 10 to 62 cents per hour.  

The Reentry Assistance Bill (A.6990 / S. 6222) is new legislation to provide meaningful financial support through the Reentry Assistance Fund. This bill would address current reentry challenges in two ways: 1) It will require that New York make a targeted investment in returning people at the most critical time of reentry. 2) It will require New York to codify gate money, and to produce annual reports - increasing transparency for policymakers and the public. Join us in supporting more effective reentry with dignity for all New Yorkers.  

Many of us either have been recipients of Gate Money in its current form or know someone who has and is aware of the impact that additional financial support would have had. Individuals returning from incarceration deserve a fair chance at a dignified and successful reentry and the Reentry Assistance Bill will bring us one step closer to ensuring exactly that.