Rochester, NY, Mar 29, 2013 — Today, the final part in a series about society's efforts to turn away from long-term incarceration for nonviolent offenders. In Part one, we met Jeff, a college-bound young man from Western New York who fell into serious drug addiction, broke into a pharmacy, and cycled through drug courts and rehab for years before being sentenced to prison.

But instead of serving a four year sentence, Jeff went to Moriah Shock, a bootcamp-style, six-month program in the Adirondacks. We left off yesterday when Jeff was three months away from his release, and feeling confident his time in Shock would help him stay drug and crime-free when he returned home.

"I mean obviously I'm not going to walk around, I'm not going to march around and call cadence, but it helps establish certain discipline that's essential through the program, and this is from the heart, I'm not just speaking to build up the program because I know whatever I say is going to be fine."

In Part three, producer Natasha Haverty finds Jeff back in the world, rebuilding his life and looking ahead.  Go to full article

Mar 28, 2013 — This week as part of our Prison Time Media Project, producer Natasha Haverty is looking at some of the approaches cash-strapped states are taking to try and cut prison their populations.

Yesterday, we began the story of Jeff, a young man from western New York who fell into serious drug addiction and broke into a pharmacy to feed his habit. After spending years cycling through drug courts, unable to stay off drugs, he was sent to prison here in the North Country.

"It's very true to say that I as given a great opportunity at drug court and I failed. I failed at drug court. I failed. I'm going to prison, for years. That's the lowest of the low, that's the lowest I can think of before death."

But unlike many other inmates, Jeff was sent to a shock prison in Moriah, in Essex County, which focuses on life skills training and rehabilitation. Part two of our series takes us to Moriah Shock and finds Jeff at the middle of his prison sentence.  Go to full article

Mar 27, 2013 — State budget numbers released late Tuesday show the General Brown Central School District in the Jefferson County town of Dexter will get a seven percent hike in state aid this year.  Go to full article

Mar 27, 2013 — When Governor Nelson Rockefeller pushed through his landmark drug laws in New York forty years ago, he argued that any alternatives to his new tough on crime zero tolerance...  Go to full article

Mar 21, 2013 — As leaders in Albany continue to hammer out the final shape of the state budget, North Country lawmakers are anxious to know what's in store for the region's cash-strapped...  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Mar 21, 2013 — Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders agreed to a framework for a new state budget last night. It would keep spending increases under two percent while providing tax rebates...  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Mar 20, 2013 — The State University of New York colleges in Canton and Potsdam each will have a new interim president starting June 1. The SUNY Board of Trustees approved the appointments...  Go to full article