Inside Outside Ltd.

Prison consulting and advocacy services for pre/post sentencing & incarceration

Meet Craig Rothfeld

Craig Rothfeld, Founder

Mr. Rothfeld has a M.A. Criminal Justice (MACJ) and a Post Graduate Certification in Criminal Sentencing and Sentencing Advocacy (PG Cert., CSSA) from Arizona State University's Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions. Additionally, he holds an MBA from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at NYU and a Bachelor of Science from The State University of NY at Albany where he majored in accounting.

Mr. Rothfeld has extensive first-hand knowledge and expertise with the NYC Department of Correction (NYC DOC), the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYS DOCCS) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Additionally, he handled cases in many other state jurisdictions such as CA, NJ, CT, PA, NC, TX, GA, and elsewhere.

Mr. Rothfeld has prepared numerous Pre-Sentencing Memorandums, Sealed Memorandums to Judges, Sentencing Statements, Letters of Support for Temporary Release, Dept. of Corrections Appeals, Medical Parole Filings, Parole Reports and Change in Parole Circumstances. In addition, while Mr. Rothfeld is not an attorney, he has assisted attorneys (for their clients) in drafting Article 78s, Orders to Show Cause, Motions to Withdraw Pleas, and Writs of Habeas Corpus.

Prior to 2014, and his career in criminal justice, he spent almost 20-years in the financial services industry. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Accounting from The State University of NY at Albany and earned a dual major (Finance & International Business) Master of Business Administration from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business. In addition, he was formerly a licensed Certified Public Accountant for almost a decade.

Mr. Rothfeld teaches Continuing Legal Education Classes (CLE) to the various NYS bar associations such as the BBA, KCBA, NYCBA, and NYSACDL, is an 18-B approved mitigation specialist, and has been retained as a NYS expert on a dual jurisdiction death penalty case. In addition, he is actively involved in NYS criminal justice legislation and reform and was lobbied for the passage of the Less is More Act parole reform legislation. He frequently assists defense attorneys in the pre-trial phase as a forensic research analyst, forensic financial consultant, and other issues that arise during discovery.

Meet Dr. Al (PhD)

About Dr. Al, PhD and Paralegal

Prior to working with Inside Outside, Dr. Al was a 10-year tenured college professor teaching social work classes and also trained in Trauma Informed Care. In addition, Dr. Al was a NYS County Commissioner of Social Services where he worked with the NYS Department of Corrections & Community Supervision (NYS DOCCS) to establish a plan to inform Counties incarcerated individuals in order to prepare them for their release from custody and have housing and services available.

In addition, he was the former Executive Director of an agency that worked with immigrants seeking asylum providing housing, education, training and integration services and lead researcher for Strengthen Families Research a Federally funded program evaluating the efficacy of Program Strengthening Families.

Other notable highlights and distinguishments:

1) Chair of Hard to Serve Committee which evaluated and created programming for youth who committed serious crimes as an alternative to incarceration.

2) Raise the Age Committee participant focusing on NYS efforts to raise the age of incarcerating youth at the age of 16 to 18.

3) Presented at a National Conference on Trauma Informed Care.

4) Architect of Building a New Secure Detention Building & Program in NYS as an alternative to Incarceration for Youth committing adult crimes.

5) Architect of Building an Apartment Complex & Programming for older Youth in Foster Care that had no place to live.

6) Thirty (30) Years running programs for youth in Residential Care, Non-Secure Detention and Secure Detention.

Incarcerated himself for 4 years, Dr. Al used his time very productively. He became a Paralegal after completing all required classwork and testing and was responsible for teaching classes in ART, Phase I, Phase III and worked in the Law Library. Taught the class on "How to become a Law Library Clerk" and had a 100% pass rate on the legal exam taken by incarcerated individuals who took the class. He now brings his knowledge of the NYS DOCCS and paralegal skills to Inside Outside.