REMARKS
Council Member Althea Stevens Explains Her Vote to Overturn Mayor's Veto
0:23:35
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63 sec
Council Member Althea Stevens explains her affirmative vote to overturn the mayor's veto on Intro 549 a, focusing on the rehabilitation potential of the legislation.
She starts by defending the bill's intent to ensure safety without resorting to solitary confinement, emphasizing the need for a rehabilitative approach in jails and a reevaluation of what safety entails.
Stevens stresses the importance of creating safe spaces for all involved, including workers at Rikers Island, and the necessity of dialogue and cooperation to achieve a rehabilitative and safe environment.
Speaker 6
0:23:35
Customer, Mister Stevens.
Speaker 11
0:23:37
Commission explained my vote.
0:23:41
If the goal of jails are rehabilitation, we are clearly taking the right step.
0:23:47
Because the reality is, solitary confinement is never about rehabilitating folks so that they can come out and be productive members of society.
0:23:57
I wanna echo something that the public advocate said a lot of times we were put against each other.
0:24:04
The people who show up at work every day to Raca's Island also deserve to be safe.
0:24:09
But this bill is not about making them less safe.
0:24:12
This bill is about thinking about how to create space where everyone could exist.
0:24:18
Hopefully, this bill will now allow us to have real conversation about rehabilitating the folks who need the help the most.
0:24:26
And hopefully, we can work together to get to a space where everyone can be safe.
0:24:31
Because if torturing someone is the only way you could feel safe, then we're not doing something right.
0:24:36
So with that, I will eye on all.
