Rivera is a 34-year-old who is charged with the murder of 31-year-old police officer Jonathan Diller.
El Diario details that Rivera has 21 prior arrests, nine of them for felonies. He was released from prison in 2021 after serving nearly five years for criminal sale of a controlled substance, according to Department of Corrections records.
In 2011, he was also booked into prison and was released in 2014.
I’m not really sure what Esposito’s solution is here. Rivera, as a criminal, was held accountable for his crimes. Twice. And now for a third time. How did the system fail anyone? What exactly is the content of this supposed “common sense wave”? Everything they want out of the system is there and it still led to a tragic outcome. What more is being asked for and how is that supposed to be achieved?
Sadly, Mr. Rivera’s story is not unique. “30 for 30” has allowed 20,000 parolees to be released from community supervision without successful completion of the very programs that are intended to help them maintain productive lives – things like substance abuse, mental health and sex offender treatment. It is time for the New York State legislature to amend “Less is More” and return power to the State’s parole officers, who want nothing more than to help parolees get back on their feet and reintegrate into their community.
This argument should be rejected out of hand or, better, should demonstrate that the 30 for 30 program works. If 20,000 parolees have been released and Rivera is the only one that’s committed a crime with such a tragic result, then that’s a testament to the effectiveness of those “programs that are intended to help them maintain productive lives.” Because it sounds like 19,999 are doing great.
That’s the point. According to the state Rivera was doing great.