NYC Mayor's Double-Down On 'Dangerousness' Bail Clause Spurs Uproar

NEW YORK CITY — New York City's mayor and top cop are doubling down on demands to pull back bail reform they blame for an uptick in violent crime, but advocates and electeds say the argument's a bust.

Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell held a press conference Wednesday to release data they argued proves "career criminals" continue to commit crimes because they have no consequences to fear.

“The hardworking women and men of the NYPD are doing the work," Adams said. "But the overall system is failing New Yorkers by allowing repeat offenders back out on the streets over and over again."

To back up this argument, the NYPD pointed to data showing nearly 25 percent of people arrested for burglary in New York are accused of another felony within the next two months.

Police also noted the number of people arrested three or more times per year increased in the first six months of 2022.

But advocates outside of One Police Plaza pointed to recent Court Administration data — which reportedly disproves the link between bail reform and recidivism — as proof the NYPD numbers were cherry-picked to support the "dangerousness" clause Adams wants added to the state bail statute.

"‘Dangerousness’ is, at best, guesswork, replete with biases that have only resulted in the caging of more people of color," the Legal Aid Society said in a statement.

"Short of a crystal ball, no judge - or human being for that matter - can predict future behavior."

This proposed upgrade — which would allow judges to set bail for people released without it who then charged with another crime — is also supported by Gov. Kathy Hochul, who fielded questions about Adams' controversial conference Wednesday at an unrelated event.

Hochul said she supported Adams' "interest in getting the judges to follow the law" and his pursuing a data-driven approach to the question of bail reform.

"What I think is missing here in this whole conversation is the analysis of what we actually did," Hochul said. "I agree with them that there are cases ... [that] could have been held if the judges had executed based on the standards we've given them."

But where such accused "repeat offenders" would be held is another point of contention among public defenders who say Rikers Island — facing a potential federal takeover amid a "humanitarian crisis" — is unfit to house more people.

"Condemning more New Yorkers to languish at Rikers Island - a facility mired in crises perpetuated by this Administration’s inability and refusal to meaningfully act - is not the answer," the Legal Aid said.

"We caution the public from falling prey to this endless fear mongering, devoid of facts and ungrounded in reality.”

Legal Aids' accusations were echoed by Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who accused Adams of using fear to push a policy New Yorkers don't actually want.

"The Mayor and his conservative allies want you to consume a fact-free diet," Myrie tweeted. "That certain crimes are up is indisputable. That this rise can be attributed to bail reform is completely false and without basis in reality."

Bronx Assemblymember Carl Heastie had another bone to pick with Adams over a claim made Wednesday, but his was a fact check.

Adams reportedly said he'd turned over his information on recidivism to the New York Assembly Speaker who had "expressed his concern."

According to Heastie, the conversation never happened.

"I'm scratching my head regarding the mayor's recollection of conversations we've had," Heastie tweeted.

"To date, we've received no data from the mayor or his team."