Democrats are willing to confront New York’s rising crime rates

Some Albany Democrats are willing to confront New York’s rising crime rates and take action to combat it. Two new bills have been proposed to provide law enforcement and the courts with the tools to address the issue following the left’s failed criminal justice “reforms.”

One of the proposed bills, from State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-SI) and Assemblyman Manny De Los Santos (D-Manhattan), seeks to make it a Class D felony to attack retail workers.

This would make the crime bail eligible, affording retail workers the same protection as cops, firefighters, MTA workers, livery drivers, and utility workers. Retail workers, such as bodega employees, have become frequent victims of crime.

The other bill, proposed by Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-LI) and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bx.), seeks to make petit larceny a felony if committed within two years of a previous conviction.

The proposal also increases the maximum jail sentences for first-time felons. The bill is long overdue given that a significant proportion of crime is committed by recidivists, with only 327 criminals accounting for 30% of New York’s 22,000 retail theft arrests in 2022.

Collective Action to Protect Our Stores, an advocacy group for retail workers, strongly supports both proposals. The bills, however, may face challenges in making it to the floor, given that the Legislature’s leaders are opposed to making significant changes to their pro-criminal policies.

This includes their resistance to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to clarify the no-bail law, which would enable judges to order bail when necessary, even if the law does not mandate it.

Despite these challenges, the bills signal hope that enough Democratic lawmakers will demand action on crime, forcing leadership to reconsider their stance. Failure to act would be a grave disservice to the public and could result in a deserved revolt.