Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has officially entered the New York City mayoral race with a polished video addressing various policy issues. Highlighting public safety, he expressed concern about the city’s current atmosphere of fear due to random crime.
In an effort to address this, Cuomo emphasized the need for law enforcement to focus on a small number of repeat offenders responsible for a large portion of crimes.
Commissioner Jessica Tisch of the NYPD has similarly been advocating for naming and shaming violent recidivists, shedding light on the flaws in the criminal justice system that allow them to continue offending.
Tisch’s approach of specifically identifying individuals with criminal histories highlights the importance of dealing with crime at a granular level.
Research has shown that rehabilitation programs for criminals have largely been ineffective in preventing reoffending. Meta-analytic reviews have often exaggerated the success of these programs, masking the reality of high recidivism rates.
In New York, recent reforms like bail reform have inadvertently led to an increase in violent offenders committing more crimes while awaiting trial.
Similar trends have been observed in California, where Proposition 47 resulted in more repeat offenders due to a shift towards social services over incarceration.
Specific examples, like the case of Edwin Rivera who shot an NYPD detective while on his fourth parole, highlight the need to address individual cases of repeat offenders.
Mayoral candidates, including Cuomo, should focus on strategies to keep dangerous individuals off the streets rather than relying solely on rehabilitation programs.
It is crucial to address crime at a specific level and not generalize the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs based on flawed research methodologies.
Hannah E. Meyers, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, emphasizes the importance of dealing with crime on an individual basis to ensure public safety.
