Latest News

February 9, 2021

Understanding the Police Presence in Buffalo Public Schools

In 2020, at the request of a coalition of our partners, PPG began to research the police and security presence in Buffalo Public Schools. We learned that there are three types of security personnel that interact with Buffalo Public School students.

January 18, 2021

New Report Finds Poor Implementation of Governor Cuomo’s COVID-19 Order to Release People Accused of Technical Parole Violations from County Jails

In a press conference on Tuesday, January 19, at 10am, Partnership for the Public Good released a new policy brief, “Poor Implementation Puts Health at Risk: An Evaluation of the New York Release Program for People Incarcerated on Charges of Technical Parole Violations during the COVID-19 …

January 14, 2021

Update on stop receipt data, predictive policing, pretextual stops

PPG Policy Fellow submitted the following letter to the Buffalo Common Council Police Oversight Committee.

December 21, 2020

Buffalo News: "Advocates call for end of Buffalo police traffic enforcement as unit disbands"

By Maki Becker | December 17, 2020 Following news this week that the Buffalo Police Department is disbanding its traffic division, a local coalition of advocates for defunding the police are calling for the city to stop police enforcement of traffic altogether. Instead, the Fair Fines + …

December 8, 2020

WKBW: "A renewed push to repeal Buffalo's open container alcohol ban"

By Madison Carter | December 8, 2020 BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — “The arrest disparities are problematic. And arrest disparities have been problematic in Buffalo.” Tanvier Peart is the Just Recovery Coordinator/Buffalo LEAD Working Group Coordinator at the Partnership for Public …

December 4, 2020

WCNY: "Solitary confinement reform legislation would save NY money, report says"

By Tim Williams | December 4, 2020 As the state faces a large budget gap, criminal justice advocates are calling for the state to implement changes to solitary confinement, arguing it could save the state money. Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, Executive Director of Partnership for the …

December 4, 2020

Buffalo News: "The Editorial Board: Close the Alden jail"

News Editorial Board | Dec 4, 2020 The Partnership for the Public Good recently issued the report, “Shrinking Jails, Rising Costs: Erie County’s Wasteful Jail Budget.” Its principal author, Colleen Kristich, believes it is time for the county to make the switch to one …

December 3, 2020

Investigative Post: "City Hall spending on police has skyrocketed"

By Geoff Kelly | December 3, 2020 In August the Partnership for the Public Good hosted a presentation on the growth of Buffalo’s police budget over the past 15 years. One conclusion: As the cost of policing has ballooned, spending on other city departments has suffered.

December 1, 2020

New Publication: "Save Money, Save Lives: An Analysis of the Fiscal Impact of the HALT Solitary Confinement Act"

In New York State, a majority of state lawmakers support passage of the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act (S.1623/A.2500), to restrict the use of solitary confinement in prisons and jails in line with international human rights standards. Several local legislatures …

November 30, 2020

Buffalo News: "Council expects data analytics center to improve policing – if Buffalo gets the money"

By Deidre Williams | Nov 30, 2020  The Common Council this week passed another component of the city's police reform agenda by approving a $2.9 million, three-year contract with SAS Institute to create a data analytics center to track and evaluate police training, as …

November 29, 2020

Buffalo News: "Study says it's time to close an Erie County jail. But which one?"

By Matthew Spina | Nov 29, 2020 The Erie County Holding Center, once one of the state’s busiest jails, ran at 26% of its capacity just days ago, and the county Correctional Facility in Alden held less than half of the number of prisoners it could house. Either facility could close, …

November 27, 2020

Times Union: "Report: Reducing solitary confinement could save New York $132M annually"

By Amanda Fries | Nov. 27, 2020 ALBANY — Reducing the use of solitary confinement in prisons could save New York and its localities $132 million annually over the next 10 years, according to a report released by the Partnership for Public Good. The report conducted by the Buffalo Niagara …