Nicholas deB. Katzenbach Justice Address for Vera Institute of Justice

Every year in New York, approximately 10,000 people who have served their minimum sentences appear before the parole board to advocate for their release. In a majority of cases, they’re denied. In 2019, only 40 percent of people who were eligible were granted parole in New York. In 2020—a year that demanded decarceration as a pandemic threatened th ...

Earlier this year, a Connecticut judge granted Meikle early release, noting that not only did he take advantage of all existing opportunities for education while incarcerated, but he also went on to create and lead such opportunities for others. He was released on May 25, 2021, after more than 26 years behind bars. The following day, he attended hi ...