TESTIMONY
Victor Herrera, Leader-Member of Freedom Agenda, on the Monetization of Human Life in Incarceration
5:15:32
·
112 sec
Victor Herrera testified against the monetization of human life in incarceration, using his brother's case as an example.
- Herrera highlights his brother's struggles with obtaining diversion due to systemic obstacles from the Department of Correction and Correctional Health Services.
- Criticizes the prison system for reducing human beings to monetary values and calls for accountability within DOC and CHS.
- Advocates for necessary appointments and services for rehabilitation and stresses the urgency given his brother's age and condition.
- Positions himself as both directly and indirectly impacted by these issues, advocating for change.
Victor Herrera
5:15:32
Hi.
5:15:32
My name is Victor Herrera.
5:15:34
I'm a directly impacted directly and indirectly impacted I'm a leader, a member of our freedom agenda, and I'm gonna be honest.
5:15:45
Okay?
5:15:46
I'm never gonna put a dollar sign on on on on human life.
5:15:48
Okay?
5:15:49
We'll talk about my brother.
5:15:50
Okay?
5:15:51
My brother's incarcerated right now.
5:15:53
And I advocated real difficult, real real hard for him.
5:15:56
Okay?
5:15:56
For him to get diversion.
5:15:59
And today, he's still not like his army.
5:16:01
Fifty six years old.
5:16:02
Why?
5:16:03
Because DLC and CHS collectively obstructing his ability to get to his appointment.
5:16:09
For CGI to meet their requirements.
5:16:12
Okay?
5:16:13
For the diversion, they are advocated with Keith County District Tony's office.
5:16:17
Who conceded to provide him the services that he needs for his dual diagnosis.
5:16:23
I'm done with this dollar sign thing that's branded on every human being that goes to wike is on it.
5:16:29
We are not a dollar sign for profit.
5:16:32
Okay?
5:16:33
Every one of those individuals are suffering in there.
5:16:35
And I don't wanna wait till the day that my brother has to wait for ATI reentry.
5:16:40
Okay.
5:16:41
That's something drastic happens to him.
5:16:43
He's fifty six years old.
5:16:45
Okay?
5:16:46
I am a survivor of a righteous Island.
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And lucky for me, I've been a member of the community for the last 24 years.
5:16:53
Okay?
5:16:53
Avocating for those who don't have a voice.
5:16:57
This needs to stop.
5:16:59
There is no more branding of a dollar value on human life.
5:17:04
We need to give something about DOC and CHS and hold them accountable for what's going on.
5:17:11
These appointments that they're required to me, okay, they need to get to them.
5:17:17
So CGI and and and diversion and the court can do what they need to do to get these individuals to services they require.
5:17:24
Thank you.
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Megan French-Marcelin, Senior Director of New York State Policy, Legal Action Center on Advocacy for Alternative to Detention/Incarceration Programs and Community Reinvestment
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Yonah Zeitz, Director of Advocacy at the Katal Center for Equity Health And Justice, on the Crisis at Rikers Island and the Urgency of Its Closure
