I have a question for every New York lawmaker pushing the Earned Time Act, Fair and Timely Parole Act, Elder Parole and Second Look Act: Does our pain mean anything to you?
How do you fight so hard for the early release of murderers, yet forget the lives they destroyed?
How do you look grieving families in the eye — if you even bother to — and still push bills that undo justice for the worst crimes imaginable?
How do you fight to give mercy to violent offenders who showed none to the loved ones they murdered?
You call it restorative justice and convince yourselves it’s about rehabilitation, fairness, reform and second chances. You lean on talking points about over-incarceration, racial disparities, aging prison populations and taxpayer costs.
And in doing so, you ignore the voices of those most affected.
But let me be clear: There is no restoration for a life taken. There is no second chance for a murder victim.
My son’s life was taken by a violent, senseless act. He had his whole life ahead of him—a future, goals, a family who loved him deeply. He mattered.
And when the person responsible was convicted, I sat in court and listened to the sentence. It felt like someone had finally said: What happened to him mattered.
I believed we could begin to grieve, knowing the justice system had recognized the depth of our loss and the seriousness of the crime.
How do you advocate for laws that will shorten sentences and hand out second chances to people who never gave their victims one?
You talk about reform like it’s progress, but for families like mine, it feels like betrayal. These bills don’t promote healing — they reopen wounds.
You are so focused on helping the people who caused the pain, you’ve completely forgotten the ones who live with it.
These bills are gut punches to every family of a homicide victim who believed the sentence handed down in court would mean something.
We were told justice had been served. Now you want to take that back — disguised as “parole reform” — while ignoring the very real pain and trauma grieving families carry forever.
Where is the fairness for the families who live with this pain every single day?
You tell yourselves a story that makes it easier to forget ours. It’s easier to push a set of bills when you’ve turned a blind eye to the reality behind the sentence — and an even blinder eye to the irreparable harm caused by the offender.
You disconnect from the devastation.
When you pass laws that prioritize criminals over victims, you’re not reforming the system — you’re erasing us.
Stop acting like our pain is just an unfortunate side effect of your so-called reform. You shouldn’t get to build a political legacy by trampling on the families already shattered by violent crime.
Justice is not disposable. And victims deserve more than your indifference.
Victims’ families, like mine, find it beyond outrageous and callous that you would seek to lessen consequences for violent offenders while brush off the suffering of those they harmed.
You are determined to help incarcerated individuals, even if it means re-traumatizing families of homicide victims in the process.
We are not collateral damage in your agenda.
We were promised justice. Don’t take that away from us.
We deserve justice — that lasts.
And to every New Yorker who believes in real justice — your voice matters. Speak up.
Demand that lawmakers stop rewriting sentences and start standing with victims.
We cannot allow violent offenders to be treated as if they’re the ones who’ve been wronged.
Theresa Bliss is a victims’ rights advocate from Suffolk County. After losing her son to homicide, she dedicated herself to fighting legislation that prioritizes violent offenders over victims.
