testimony of demos and the prison policy initiative steven carbó, senior program director, demos
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8/8/2019 Testimony of Demos and the Prison Policy Initiative Steven Carbó, Senior Program Director, Demos
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/testimony-of-demos-and-the-prison-policy-initiative-steven-carbo-senior-program 1/5
NewYorkStateSenateMajorityConference
SenateLegislativeTaskForceon
DemographicResearchandApportionment
PublicMeeting
December7,2010
TestimonyofDemosandthePrisonPolicyInitiative
StevenCarbó,SeniorProgramDirector,Demos
OnbehalfofDēmosandthePrisonPolicyInitiative,I’dliketothanktheSenate
LegislativeTaskForceonDemographicResearchandApportionmentforthis
opportunitytotestifyaboutredistrictingreforminNewYorkState. Dēmosisanational,
non-profit,non-partisanpublicpolicy,researchandadvocacyorganizationcommittedto
buildinganAmericawheredemocracyisrobustandinclusive,withhighlevelsof
electoralparticipationandcivicengagement.Thenon-partisan,non-profitPrisonPolicy
Initiativeisthenation’spreeminentsourceofinformationontheimpactofmass
incarcerationonindividuals,communities,andthenationalwelfare.Overthepast
severalyears,DēmosandthePrisonPolicyInitiativehavebeenworkinginpartnership
tohighlightandputanendtotheinequitiesof“prison-basedgerrymandering”–thepracticeofmiscountingincarceratedindividualsasresidentsoftheirplacesof
confinement,ratherthantheirhomecommunities.Thetestimonyregardingprison-
basedgerrymanderingisofferedjointlybyDēmosandPrisonPolicyInitiative.The
subsequentdiscussionoflegislationonredistrictingcommissionsissubmittedsolelyby
Dēmos.
Prison-basedgerrymanderinglaw
DemosandPPIcongratulatetheNewYorkSenateandAssemblyforpassageearlierthis
yearoflandmarklegislationthatendsprison-basedgerrymanderinginthestate.With
thesignatureofGovernorPaterson,NewYorkjoinedMarylandandDelawareinno
longermiscountingincarceratedindividualsasresidentsoftheirprisonlocalities.The
priorpracticeviolatedArticleII,Section4oftheNewYorkConstitution,whichclearly
statesthat“nopersonshallbedeemedtohavegainedorlostaresidence,byvirtueof
hisorherpresenceorabsence…whileconfinedinanypublicprison.”
8/8/2019 Testimony of Demos and the Prison Policy Initiative Steven Carbó, Senior Program Director, Demos
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/testimony-of-demos-and-the-prison-policy-initiative-steven-carbo-senior-program 2/5
2
NewYork’sprison-basedgerrymanderalsoviolatedtheone-person,one-voteprinciple
ofourrepresentativedemocracy.Legislativedistrictsmustbeofequalpopulationso
thatthevoterstrengthofacitizeninonedistrictmatchesthatofacitizeninanother.
Usingprisonpopulationstopadthepopulationcountsofdistrictsthatcontainprisons
countsallowedNewYorktodrawprisondistrictswithfeweractualresidents.The
votingstrengthofeachsuchresidentwasthengreaterthanthatofcitizensindistrictswithoutprisons.Thenewpolicyrestorestheone-person,one-votestandard.
Thepreviouspracticealsodilutedthevotingstrengthofurbancommunitiesofcolorin
NewYork.Threequartersofour58,000prisonersareAfricanAmericanorLatino.1
Nearly50percentcomefromNewYorkCity.2Buttheprisonsinwhichtheyaredetained
areconcentratedinpredominatelyrural,whitecounties.Indeed,eachofthe43new
stateprisonsbuiltinNewYorksince1976wasbuiltupstate.3Prison-based
gerrymanderingdiminishedthevotingstrengthoftheAfricanAmericanandLatino
communitiesfromwhichprisonersweredrawnbyexcludingthesetensofthousandsof
itslegalresidentsfromtheirpopulationcounts,whileenhancingthevotingstrengthofdisproportionatelywhitecommunitiesthatcontainprisons.NewYork’snewpolicy
remediesthisvotedilution.
Withtheendofprison-basedgerrymandering,incarceratedpeoplewillbeproperly
countedasresidentsofthecommunitiesfromwhichtheyweredrawnandwillreturn
aftertheirperiodofconfinement.ThepropervotingstrengthofNewYork’surban
communitiesofcolorwillberestored.
Ishouldnotethatthenegativeimpactofprison-basedgerrymanderingwasnot
restrictedtourban,of-colorcommunities.Thevotingstrengthofresidentsinany
legislativedistrictinthestatethatdidnotincludealargeprisonwasdiminishedwhenotherareascoulduseprisonpopulationstoartificiallyswelltheirpopulations.Thirteen
countiesandmunicipalitieshadalreadyrecognizedtheinjusticeofprison-based
gerrymanderingandexcludedprisonerswhentheydrewlocallegislativedistricts.The
newlawendingprison-basedgerrymanderingrequiresthatthatallstatelegislative,
countyandmunicipaldistrictsbedrawnonthesame,fairstandard.
1UnderCustodyReport:ProfileofInmatePopulationUnderCustodyonJanuary1,2010,Executive
Summary,StateofNewYork,DepartmentofCorrectionalServices,availableat
http://www.docs.state.ny.us/Research/Reports/2010/UnderCustody_Report.pdf.
2Id.
3FurtherresearchandmethodologydiscussiononImportingConstituents:PrisonersandPoliticalCloutin
NewYork ,PrisonPolicyInitiative,January2005,http://www.prisonpolicy.org/importing/further.html.
8/8/2019 Testimony of Demos and the Prison Policy Initiative Steven Carbó, Senior Program Director, Demos
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/testimony-of-demos-and-the-prison-policy-initiative-steven-carbo-senior-program 3/5
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RedistrictingbyCommission
Dēmoshasnottakenapositionontheredistrictingcommissionlegislationrecently
proposedintheNewYorkStateSenate(S.7881A,S.7882A,S.1614B,S.2892,S.6240).
However,severalyearsago,DēmosandtheCenterforGovernmentalStudiesinLos
AngelesconductedextensiveresearchonredistrictingcommissionsthenunderconsiderationinCaliforniaandelsewhere.4Mindfulofthecentralrolethatredistricting
playsinthevitalityofourdemocracy,wedevelopedthefollowingsetofpublicinterest
goalsthatanyapportionmentcommissionsshouldaddressindrawingdistrict
boundaries.Dēmos’2006testimonybeforeajointhearingoftheNewYorkAssembly
StandingCommitteeonGovernmentOperationandtheAssemblyLegislativeTaskforon
DemographicResearchandApportionmentwaspremisedupontheseprinciples.5
1.PoliticalEqualityandMinorityRepresentation.Everycitizenhastherightto
fairandadequaterepresentation,withparticularattentiontocommunities
historicallyunderrepresentedinthepoliticalprocessandtodefinedcommunitiesofinterest.
2.ApportionmentCriteria.Thosewhoredistrictshouldbeguidedbyaproperly
balancedofsetofapportionmentcriteriathatpromotefairnessandadvancethe
publicinterest.
3.PublicConfidence.Apportionmentshouldbeundertakeninamannerthat
elicitsfullpublicconfidenceinthefairnessandopennessoftheprocess,with
transparencyintheproceedingsofthedecision-makers,strongprovisionsfor
solicitationandreceiptofpublicinput,openmeetings,thepublicationofdata
anddocumentationandaccessiblepublichearingsthroughoutthestate.
4.PartisanFairness.Apportionmentshouldproceedthroughaneutral,unbiased
processthataimstoensurethatneithermajorpartywouldbenefitunfairly
underanadoptedredistrictingplan.
5.VoterChoiceandGovernmentAccountability.Apportionmentshouldresultin
optimalvoterchoiceincandidatesandtheabilityoftheelectoratetoholdthe
governmentaccountable.
4
Re-DrawingLines:APublicInterestAnalysisofCalifornia’s2006RedistrictingReformProposals ,DemosandtheCenterforGovernmentalStudies(2006),
http://www.cgs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91:PUBLICATIONS&catid=39:all_p
ubs&Itemid=72.
5AssemblyStandingCommitteeonGovernmentOperations,AssemblyLegislativeTaskForceon
DemographicResearchandApportionment,PublicHearing,October17,2006,
TestimonyofStevenCarbó,availableonrequestatDēmos.
8/8/2019 Testimony of Demos and the Prison Policy Initiative Steven Carbó, Senior Program Director, Demos
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/testimony-of-demos-and-the-prison-policy-initiative-steven-carbo-senior-program 4/5
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Basedontheseprinciples,Dēmosoffersthefollowingreflectionsonthepending
legislation.
PoliticalEqualityandMinorityRepresentation
Theopportunitytoelectcandidatesofchoiceandachievefairrepresentationingovernmentisacriticalcomponentoffullparticipationinourdemocracy.Thatideal
hasnotbeenachievedinNewYork,whereracialandethnicminoritieshavehistorically
beenunderrepresentedinAlbany.Drawingdistrictboundariesthatfacilitateracialand
ethnicminorities’abilitytoelectcandidatesofchoiceandachievepoliticalequalityare
paramountconcernsforapportionmentreform.
Dēmosrecommendsthatanyapportionmentproposaladopttheprotectionofminority
votingstrengthasastatepolicypriority.ThefederalVotingRightsActof1965affords
specialprotectionstoAfricanAmericans,Latinos,AsianAmericansandNative
Americans/AlaskanNatives,whomhaveexperiencedintentionaldisfranchisement,votedilutionandpoliticalunderrepresentation.Thatfederalprotectioncanbeundermined
byanychangeinfederalpolicyorbyhostilecourtdecision.Futureriskstofairand
effectiverepresentationtoNewYork’sracial,ethnicandlinguisticminoritiescanbe
avertedinpartifthestatepromulgatesastatepolicyagainsttheconcentrationor
dispersalofminoritypopulationsinwaysthatadverselyaffecttheirvotingstrength.
S.7882AandS.1614Bbothappeartoproposethatstatepolicygoal.ChairmanDilan’sbill
prohibitstheestablishmentofSenate,Assemblyorcongressionaldistricts“thatresultin
adenialtomembersofracialandlinguisticminoritygroups…anequalopportunity…to
participateinthepoliticalprocessandtoelecttherepresentativesoftheirchoice.”Sec.
3(e).Thatprovisionalsoprovidesthatthemaintenanceofcountyandvillageborders,compactness,avoidanceofpackingmultipleincumbentsinonedistrictandother
redistrictingcriteriashallbeappliedinwaysthataffordfairrepresentationofracialand
linguisticminoritygroups.SimilarlanguageisincludedinS.1614B.SeeSec.96(2)(C).
Iwouldaddthatoneobviousmeansofsafeguardingminorityinterestsduringthe
deliberationsofanyproposedredistrictingcommissionisracialandethnicdiversity
amongcommissionmembers.S.1614B,legislationsponsoredbySen.Valeskydoes
requiresuchdiversity.Itprovidesthatmembersoftheapportionmentnominationspool
andcommissionreflecttherace,ethnicity,andgenderdiversityofthestate–aclearly
advisableapproach.SeeSec.95(6),96(3)(B).
ApportionmentCriteria
IfaNewYorkapportionmentcommissionweretobecreated,itshouldbeguidedby
clear,explicitandpriority-rankedpublicinterestcriteria.Sucharticulationwillnotonly
assistthecommissioninthefulfillmentofitsdifficultcharge,butwillalsohelpassure
thatredistrictingprioritieswillnotbereshuffleddramaticallyfromonedecadetothe
8/8/2019 Testimony of Demos and the Prison Policy Initiative Steven Carbó, Senior Program Director, Demos
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/testimony-of-demos-and-the-prison-policy-initiative-steven-carbo-senior-program 5/5
5
nextdependingontheparticularinterestsorpreoccupationsofthoseappointedtothe
commissioninaparticulardecade.
Onecriteriaofparticularimportanceisthepreservationofneighborhoodsand
communitieswithdistinctracial,ethnic,economic,historicalandotherinterestswhen
districtlinesaredrawn,asproposedinS.1614B.Unitingcommunitiesofinterestisintegraltoachievingfairrepresentation.Itisalsoafundamentalelementinclosingthe
representationgapamongNewYork’sracial,ethnicandlanguageminorities.The
subordinationofthisapportionmentcriterioninS.7882AandS.7881Adiminishesits
potentialimpact.SeeS.7882A,Sec.3(f)(v);S.7881A,Sec.3(f)(v).
PublicConfidence
Thecurrentsetofredistrictingreformbillsattempttoinstillpublicconfidenceinthe
apportionmentprocessinanumberofrespects.Theyincluderequirementsforpublic
accesstoapportionmentplansandotherrelevantinformation,publichearings,and
reportingonthefindingsofsuchhearings.Indeed,whetherapportionmentisdonebythelegislatureorbycommission,suchprovisionsfortransparencyandaccessshouldbe
partofaproperlyfunctioningprocess.
Asregardspublichearings,Dēmosfindsascommendabletheveryspecificrequirements
ofnumerousandgeographically-dispersedpublicforumsinS.1614B.Itsanticipationof
suchpublichearingsduringthepreparationoftheapportionmentplan(tobetelevised)
andfollowingitsdisseminationineachNewYorkCityboroughandinfiveothercities
arepreferable.SeeSec.98(3),(4).Noticeofsuchpublichearingsshouldincludeefforts
toreachlanguageminoritycommunities,usinglanguagesbeyondEnglish,non-English
languagemedia,andoutreachtocommunityorganizationsandresources.Scheduling
hearingsataccessiblelocationsandatconvenienttimesforworkingadultscanfurtherpromotemeaningfulpublicparticipation.
Enhancedreportingrequirementscanalsobolsterpublicparticipation.Whether
apportionmentisdonebythelegislatureorbycommission,thelinedrawerscanbe
requiredtocomposetranscriptsofeachpublichearingandpostthemforpublicreview
onacommissionwebsite;publishastatementexplaininghowtheymetredistricting
criteria;andreportonhowtheobjectionsandrecommendationsofferedbythepublic
hadbeentakenintoconsideration.Theseprovisionspromoteconfidenceintheintegrity
oftheprocess.Thisinformationshouldbemadeavailabletothepublicinprintand
electronicformontheinternet.
Provisionsregardingpublicaccesstoapportionmentplansandotherrelevant
informationarealsosuperiorinS.1614B.Itrequiresthatallapportionmentplans,
relevantdataandinformation,andmapmakingsoftwarebemadeavailabletothepublic
inbothprintedformandontheinternet,usingthebestavailabletechnology.SeeSec.
97(9).Iwouldaddthatcompleteorpartialplanscraftedbythepublicshouldalsobe
postedontheinternetfordiscussionatpublichearings.
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