Opinion: Let the transformed judge transformation
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Governor Kathy Hochul should appoint people with lived experience to the parole board, anthony Dixon writes in this op-ed. File photo by Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
By Anthony Dixon
No one should be judged unworthy of freedom by those who’ve never had to earn it back. Recently, the New York City Council passed Resolution 414-A, with a majority of Queens Councilmembers voting aye, backing a bill introduced by Senator Cordell Cleare requiring the Governor and State Legislature to appoint at least one formerly incarcerated person to the New York State Board of Parole . Though the Council lacks appointment power, its message was unmistakable: those most impacted by incarceration must help shape the system that determines freedom. Councilmember Sandy Nurse put it plainly: “Who could be more qualified to guide parole decisions than those with firsthand experience?” She’s right. This is not just common sense—it is a democratic and moral imperative.
For decades, New York’s parole process has been dominated by law enforcement appointees. Commissioners with law enforcement backgrounds and ties to prison-hosting communities routinely reflect punitive values over restorative ones. In some cases, unions even publicly demand that the Board violate the law by denying parole solely because the victim wore a badge—disregarding the legal mandate to assess rehabilitation, not re-punish past crimes.
Today, some law enforcement voices continue this campaign, denouncing the release of over 40 so-called “cop killers.” What they omit is critical: every one of these individuals was elderly, had served three or four decades in prison, expressed deep remorse, and has since lived law-abiding, community-oriented lives. Not one has returned to prison. Many have become pro-social mentors and community contributors. The Board got it right. Police unions’ omissions were intentional, designed to stoke fear and obstruct justice.
Until we live in a society where the life of an unhoused person is valued as much as someone in uniform, we cannot claim to stand for justice—we’re merely reinforcing a hierarchy of human worth based on status.
Law enforcement cannot claim to speak for survivors of crime. By a 2-to-1 margin, crime survivors prefer prevention and rehabilitation over longer prison terms. The belief that endless punishment brings closure is a myth; research in restorative justice shows such punishment can prolong trauma. True healing comes through acknowledgment, change, and opportunities for amends—not perpetual punishment.
The New York State Board of Parole is not an extension of law enforcement. Based on Executive law and the Court of Appeals, it is an independent decision-making body mandated to evaluate risk and rehabilitation, free from political influence.
Efforts by some in law enforcement to co-opt the Board’s authority are a direct assault on its legally protected independence and an egregious violation of New York State Public Officers Law § 74(3)(d) and (h), which prohibit public officials from using their position to “secure unwarranted privileges” or “improperly influence” others.
In addition to threats to the Parole Board’s independence from political interference, its structural stability is strained. The Board is intended to have 19 members. Currently, 12 of the 16 commissioners are in expired “hold-over” terms. Three of their terms expired 6 years ago. This creates a chilling effect in which decisions may be shaped by fear of non-reappointment.
Chronic understaffing has led to frequent two-person panels, increasing the likelihood of tied votes that automatically deny release. Commissioners Joseph Crangle and Marc Coppola, entrenched on the parole board for 17 and 13 years, embody the lifetime appointments, stagnation, bias, and misconduct that Governor Hochul has failed to confront or correct.
Without a fully appointed and empowered Board, parole commissioners lack the capacity to carry out their core responsibilities—reviewing discharges, deciding appeals, and issuing Certificates of Relief. This dysfunction disrupts over 10,000 parole interviews and 24,000 supervised individuals each year, while eroding public trust and breaking Governor Hochul’s 2022 pledge to “fully staff the Parole Board.”
Although the law allows for substantial diversity of experience and qualifications on the Parole Board, until recently appointments for decades favored individuals with law enforcement backgrounds, whose punitive training and allegiance to the “blue code” create a vested interest in denying release, reinforced by the threat of backlash if they release the “wrong” person.
Despite some positive appointments, the Board remains dominated by a culture of punishment over transformation. Parole releases have declined, racial disparities persist, and commissioners too often focus on the crime of conviction instead of a person’s growth, readiness, and value to society. If rehabilitation and restoration are the core goals of the justice system, then Parole Board appointments must reflect that.
New York needs a Parole Board that reflects full diversity and decision-makers who understand the gravity of deciding who returns to their community. Appointing formerly incarcerated individuals to the Parole Board is a step toward restoring integrity and balance. Lived experience is not a liability—it’s a qualification. Those who have walked through the prison gates and returned home bring vital, humanizing insight. They know what real transformation looks like. Their perspective can ground parole decisions in both fairness and reality. They know the blind spots.
We value lived experience elsewhere—veterans lead the VA, cancer-survivors work in hospitals, and people in recovery shape addiction policy. Why is parole the exception? Not one State Parole Board member has been incarcerated. That’s not just unjust—it’s indefensible.
Appointing just one person with that experience is not enough. To break free from tokenism and begin repairing the public's trust, multiple formerly incarcerated commissioners must be appointed. This is not charity. This is justice. These voices must be seen as essential.
The Governor, as New York’s chief executive, has a duty to uphold and model fair and equal employment practices. State law—including Correction Law Article 23-A and the NYC Fair Chance Act—prohibits discrimination based on conviction history. Yet bias persists. A 2024 report by the National Employment Law Project found that even in states with strong legal protections, people with criminal records face widespread job discrimination due to stigma and lack of political will.
Appointing formerly incarcerated individuals to the Parole Board will affirm that New York’s highest state leadership is committed to equal opportunity after people have paid their debt to society. Leaders like Senator Cleare, as well as sponsors of the local resolution Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams and Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa, have long championed this cause. Now it is time for Governor Hochul to act and appoint leaders who’ve lived it.
Anthony Dixon is the deputy director of the Parole Preparation Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for and supporting individuals serving life sentences and those transitioning home from New York prisons.
