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A Passion for Justice: Elise Czuchna and Keli Cochran went to law school with the sole purpose of advocating for incarcerated individuals and addressing incarceration-related issues.
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Elise has been working in this issue area since she was an undergraduate, where she worked on a theater program for incarcerated individuals. Since 2021, Elise has worked at Prisoners' Legal Services of New York, focusing on providing direct services to incarcerated individuals, particularly concerning disciplinary hearings and confinement issues.
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Keli is a fierce advocate for incarcerated people and has been pushing for change in the justice system with the #HALTsolitary Campaign since 2012. Motivated by her two brothers' experiences within the New York prison system, she draws inspiration from them to combat the school-to-prison pipeline and advocate against inhumane incarceration practices. Through her organization, Advocates for the Voiceless, Keli works with individuals in all steps of the disciplinary system, from schools, to prison, to reentry.
Campaign to End Solitary Confinement: The #HALTsolitary Campaign joined We The Action in 2021, shortly after the New York State legislature passed the HALT Solitary Confinement Law. The campaign leads the charge to end the torture of solitary for all people and create more humane and effective alternatives.
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Under the new HALT law, for the first time ever, people in New York prisons and jails are allowed representation at disciplinary hearings that could result in solitary confinement or restrictive housing. These can be complex cases, as the representatives have to navigate the difficulties and bureaucracy of the incarceration system. That’s where We The Action lawyers come in.
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Scott Paltrowitz, Member of the #HALTsolitary Campaign, says, “These hearings are an opportunity to partner with a person facing this racist and oppressive system, support that individual in trying to stay out of torturous conditions, and help to ensure the HALT solitary law is being implemented properly.”
The Fight for Humane Treatment: Both Elise and Keli have been working with the #HALTsolitary Campaign for years, using We The Action to find and share individual cases in New York.
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In addition to providing direct representation, Elise trains other attorneys and advocates, sharing insights and strategies for navigating disciplinary hearings. Scott says, “Elise has been a trailblazer in this space, and has done a remarkable job at the forefront of this new endeavor. It’s a new system and high learning curve and she’s done an amazing job of both representing people and also sharing her wisdom and expertise with others.”
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Families of people in solitary confinement often reach out for help, and Keli has remained steadfast in her commitment to providing high quality, pro bono representation whenever she is able. Scott explains, “Keli jumped in when there wasn’t much history doing this. She has balanced her work and has been able to help individuals and push back against these harsh punishments.”
You Can Make an Impact: The work of the #HALTsolitary Campaign is far from over. Law students and New York barred lawyers are always needed to take on cases, and the campaign works to train volunteers to prepare for the hearing process.
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