The Manhattan prosecutor’s office will stop criminally prosecuting behaviors such as failing to pay the subway fare, resisting arrest and other non-violent crimes, new district attorney Alvin Bragg informed his staff in a memorandum.
The move is part of Bragg’s campaign promises for criminal justice reform.
These policies “reflect both the need for fundamental reforms in the criminal justice system and the need for community safety. The two objectives of justice and security are not opposed to each other. They are inextricably linked. We deserve and demand both, and that has been the goal of my career, and indeed, of my life, “said Bragg.
Other crimes that will not be prosecuted are prostitution and misdemeanors related to marijuana. Resisting an arrest will be punished if it is an arrest for a crime.
“I have lived my entire life in Harlem and have seen all sides of the criminal justice system both professionally and personally,” Bragg said.
“I have had a gun pointed at me by police officers three times, a relative lived with me after I got out of jail and I posted bail for a loved one. And I served as a prosecutor to hold accountable corrupt politicians and those who heavily financed drug trafficking. scale and, just a few months ago, I walked my family through the crime scene at our doorstep ”.
The new prosecutor also indicated that he will implement other measures to prevent people from being imprisoned, including:
-Invest more in alternatives to jail
-Reduce the time of preventive detention prior to the trial
-Focus on the responsibility (of the one who commits a crime) and not necessarily on the length of the jail sentence
-Limit the judging of juveniles in adult courts
-Support those who return to the street after a period in jail
“These policy changes will not only by themselves make us safer; they will also free up resources from the prosecution to focus on violent crimes, “added the prosecutor.
The Legal Aid Society, an influential legal organization that helps low-income people with legal matters, said it “welcomed” the Bragg memo.
“The Legal Aid Society welcomes this memorandum as a substantive first step in reforming an office that has long resorted to making excessive bail requests and overcharging our clients,” the organization said.
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