At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of the courtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected —regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Our experienced teams provide comprehensive services, support, and advocacy that protect rights, keep families and communities together, and in many cases, saves lives. We have an intrinsic connection to the daily lives of New Yorkers. Here are a few of the places we made a difference, provided context or added valuable perspective this week:

City DNA collection, storage practices under fire

Genome Web: Whittling Down the Database
Brooklyn Daily Eagle: NYPD alters how it collects DNA from children and certain suspects
CNN: NYPD says it will remove some non-convicts from its local DNA database
NY1: Critics Remain Skeptical of NYPD’s DNA Sampling Policies
The Appeal: New York City Agency has Underreported Lab Errors in DNA Database it Oversees
Politico: Cops take heat from Council over DNA, despite planned reforms
NY Daily News: City Council and NYPD spar over DNA database

LAS provides assistance/information as “public charge” rule takes effect

CBS News: Trump’s controversial “public charge” rule takes effect, reshaping legal immigration
BKLYNER: Public Charge Rule Takes Effect Today, Some Helpful Info
AMNY: City officials try to dispell fears as ‘public charge’ rule goes into effect
El Diario: Autoridades de NY redoblan campañas informativas ante vigencia de ‘carga pública’
Queens Daily Eagle: City officials prepare for new ‘public charge’ rule

More LAS in the news

AMNY: NYC Council seek additional legislation to expand tenant ‘right to counsel’
The Cut: They Were Freed From a Nightmarish Facility. But the Abuse Didn’t Stop.
WSJ: NYPD Detective Says He Misled Barnard Slaying Suspect
Washington Square News: De Blasio’s Privatization of NYCHA
The Banner: New York Bail Reform: What’s To Come
NYT: Tessa Majors’s Murder: Police Bluff Led to Teen’s Confession
NY Daily News: Legalize weed already, New York
THE APPEAL: A New York Law Coul Reduce Sentences for Domestic Violence Survivors
NY Daily News: Detective who interrogated suspect in Tessa Majors case has a checkered history
Gothamist: Video: NYPD Officer Loses Vacation Days After Choking Anti-ICE Protester
Gothamist: NYC Has “A Long Way To Go” To End The Illegal Stop-And-Frisk Era
Crime Report: Detective Lied to Get Info on Barnard Student Death
Daily Beast: Here’s Why the Homeless Are Enraged by Bloomberg’s Campaign
City Limits: Many NYC Seniors Sill Face the Threat of Evictions
Newsday: Chief judge: Tweak bail law to give judges more say in some cases
The City: DA Vance Doles Out Millions in Grants From Seized Dollars, But Some Question Rolez
Daily Mail: Detective in Tessa Majors case grilled over whether he coerced the confession
Staten Island Advance: Public advocate, activists hold information session on bail reform
Manhattan Times News: Reading the Rule
City & State: This week’s biggest Winners & Losers (Janet Sabel)