I have not been able to find any statistics on the exact prison population of New York State, but it appears to be about 140,000. This includes 14,000 on Rikers Island, who are mostly pre-trial detainees.
Under the Rockefeller Drug Laws a person can receive a life sentence for mere possession of drugs. It is unknown how many prisoners fall into this category but if I am elected Governor of New York State I will release on parole almost all of them, a power which I will have as any governor has. There are 40,000 marijuana arrests in New York City every year. I will ask the police to stop making these arrests. Estimates are that as much as 50% of all prisoners in jail are in for so-called "victimless crimes" such as drugs, gambling and prostitution. I will tend to release these people. Another statistic is that 40% of all prisoners are illegal aliens. If this is correct that means that we have 56,000 illegal aliens in our jails and prisons in New York State. This also means that we have one million illegal aliens in jail nationwide. I will summarily deport almost all of them except those guilty of seriously violent crimes. If they somehow manage to return to this country they will go back in jail to serve the remainder of their sentences. Sam Sloan