REFORM OF NEW YORK CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: TOP PRIORITY OF STATE BAR ASSOCIATION IN 2017

ALBANY, NY (01/09/2017)(readMedia)-- New York State Bar Association President Claire P. Gutekunst issued the following statement about the criminal justice agenda outlined in Governor Cuomo's State of the State message:

"Enacting reforms that increase the age of criminal responsibility, avoid wrongful convictions and enhance the quality of indigent criminal legal defense services would represent major steps toward reforming our criminal justice system. Such measures have long been priorities of the New York State Bar Association.

"We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to enact criminal justice reforms during the 2017 session."

The 74,000-member New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was founded in 1876.

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