On February 27, 2026, CUNY School of Law hosted a symposium on the Second Look Act and the fight for sentencing reform in New York. The event brought together New York’s Chief Judge, Deputy Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, lawmakers, and formerly incarcerated leaders to discuss the urgent need for sentencing reform. With more than 35,000 people incarcerated in New York State prisons—three out of four of whom are Black or brown, and thousands serving decade-long sentences—the program underscored the belief that people can change, and that our laws must change as well. The event was co-hosted by CUNY’s Second Look Project and the Center for Community Alternatives (CCA).
