RAISING THE AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY IN NEW YORK STATE

Greetings friends and neighbors! I hope that you enjoyed a peaceful and enjoyable holiday season spent with your loved ones. As we welcome a new year with open arms and renewed hopes for a better and brighter New York I would like to bring your attention to one of the most critical social justice issues facing our community. As a legislator in what I believe to be the nation!s leading state for meaningful and progressive public policy I remain deeply concerned that New York is one of only two states where "# and "$ year%old offenders are prosecuted as adults. &hile there is a powerful movement already underway to urge the reform of this unfair and destructive stain on our criminal justice system and time is running out. 'ach year that goes by without reform means that another () *** youth will be arrested and processed as adults in New York. +he problem runs deeper than the manner in which "# and "$ year%olds are ,uestioned stopped and frisked. -rom the time of arrest because they are treated as adults "# and "$ year%olds are not afforded the procedural protection of parental notification or consent prior to being ,uestioned by law enforcement. -urthermore the .enter on /uvenile and .riminal /ustice reports that nationwide African%Americans represent 0#1 of juvenile arrests ((1 of youth who are detained (#1 of the youth who are judicially waived to criminal court and )21 of the youth admitted to state correctional facilities. -rom start to finish the odds are stacked impossibly high against our young men and women. 3espite the endless research and statistical evidence proving the harmful effects of this policy the injustice continues. According to data from the .orrectional Association of New York 4tate youth confined in adult facilities are 5# times more likely to commit suicide. +hese same youth are "** percent more likely to face physical assault than their adult counterparts. 6ur criminal justice system is thought to be borne of a belief in rehabilitation but for these individuals it is simply not the case. After their release youth who have been incarcerated with adult offenders are shown to be more likely to commit future acts of crime and violence. +he recidivism rates alone for this vulnerable population are enough to demonstrate that the system is failing our youth and condemning them to a future wrought with crime as well as lasting mental and emotional hardship. &e 784+ raise the age of criminal responsibility. .ommunity organi9ations advocacy groups probation and parole departments and local governments have openly e:pressed their support for this reform. I am committed to lending my voice and all of the confidence vested in my office to ensuring that this important issue is brought to the forefront of the agenda as we enter the 0*"( legislative session. -or more information on the facts behind raising the age visit www.raisetheageny.com

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS
Enlightenment, Strange Mathemati ! " Rh#thmi E$%ati&n! A'r&'%t%ri!m an( )STEAM) E(% ati&n Th%r!(a#, *an%ar# +, ,-./ 0 12--3m 0 +2--3m +he program will introduce artists and their works in relationship to ;4+'A7; <science technology engineering art math= education. +he panel discussion and supporting presentations will e:plore topics such as fractal geometry ,uantum physics and symmetry and how artists are working with scientists and mathematicians to create tools that inform future projects. The St%(i& M%!e%m in Harlem 144 West 125th Street New York, NY, 10027

TEAM WRIGHT AT WORK

.onstituent 7s. >arris a disabled senior citi9en visited our district office looking for assistance with her .on'dison utility bill. 7s. >arris was months behind on her bill and faced termination of her electricity. 6ur office contacted the New York .ity >uman ?esource Administration <>?A= to determine 7s. >arris@s eligibility for the 8tility Assistance Arogram <8AA= which assists individuals who re,uire financial assistance with their energy bills. &e aided 7s. >arris to complete .on 'dison@s deferred payment agreement due to medical hardship which will alleviate the financial burden and ensure the continuation of her electric service moving forward. An&ther e4am3le &' Team Wright at 5&r6 in #&%r &mm%nit#7

KI01S CORNER
St%(i& M%!e%m in Harlem Free A(mi!!i&n, eAer# S%n(a# .,B< PM Docated at "(( &est "0)th 4treet <Eetween Deno: Ave. and $th Avenue= +he 4tudio 7useum in >arlem is the ne:us for artists of African descent locally nationally and internationally and for work that has been inspired and influenced by black culture. It is a site for the dynamic e:change of ideas about art and society. FisitB httpBCCwww.studiomuseum.orgC or call <0"0= 2#(%()** for more information. Chil(renC! M%!e%m &' Manhattan >CMOM@ Assemblyman Wright brings G !ern r C" m t Harlem t #eli!er !er $%% b &s' t ys an# garments at Minisin& T (nh "se Free A(mi!!i&n, 'ir!t Fri(a# &' eAer# m&nth =B9 PM 0"0 &est 25rd 4t <Eetween Eroadway G Amsterdam Avenues= .767 inspires children and families to learn about themselves and our culturally diverse world through a uni,ue environment of interactive e:hibitions and programs. .767 focuses on four priority areas to impact children in ways that will last a lifetimeB 'arly childhood education prepares children for success in school creativity in the arts and sciences inspires creative and analytical thinking skills for lifelong learning healthy lifestyles programs provide a blueprint for a family@s physical emotional and environmental well%being e:ploration of world cultures gives children awareness and understanding and conte:t for the diverse society in which we all live. FisitB httpBCCwww.cmom.orgC or call <0"0= $0"%"05( for more information.

A./ANY UP0ATE
Ne5 legi!lati&n t& all&5 immigrant! t& 3ra ti e la5 in Ne5 Y&r6 State Immigration reform is one of the most critical matters facing our country and in just last year I joined my colleagues in the Assembly in voting to pass the 3?'A7 Act so that no student!s path to a college education would be obstructed because of their status. It is with this same conviction that I have recently introduced legislation A89:.1 that would allow a ,ualified individual to practice law in New York 4tate regardless of their immigration status. You can track the status of this and all my other legislation online at www.httpBCCassembly.state.ny.usClegC

/USINESS SPOT.IGHT
*&; Fair NYC Th%r!(a# *an%ar# .<, ,-./ H&li(a# Inn Mi(t&5n H&tel //- W =1th Street Ne5 Y&r6, NY .--.+ .-AM t& ,PM >?en(&r !et%3 ;egin! at +AM@ B%!ine!! 3r&'e!!i&nal attire " re!%me are re$%ire( Small ti3! '&r !% e!! always have multiple copies of your resume on hand!

) r m re in* rmati n r i* y " ha!e any +r blems (e ,an hel+ s l!e' +lease # n t hesitate t , nta,t "r **i,e #ire,tly- We are al(ays here t hel+Assemblyman Keith L. . Wri!ht 1"# West 125th Street, S$ite %11 Albany, New York 10027 212&'""&5'0%& (hone 212&'"4&1#"'& )a* wri!htk+nysa.$s htt,-..www./a0ebook.0om.assemblymanwri!ht htt,-..www.twitter.0om.wri!ht4harlem htt,-..assembly.state.ny.$s.mem.1a23070