Crime wave in New York by Sean Hayes, candidate, NYC Council District 1? After starting 2021 with two solid months of crime reductions, the NYPD hit a bump in the road in March, according to statistics released Tuesday. Overall index crime jumped 2.4% last month, year-over-year, due largely to a significant uptick in murders and reported auto thefts. Shootings continue to remain a problem as well, with another 99 incidents recorded in March — up 76.8% from the 56 shootings tallied in March 2020 — even as the NYPD continues making hundreds of gun arrests each month. Another 492 gun arrests were made across the five boroughs last month, with the majority of them (275) occurring in the Bronx and northern Brooklyn.

Asked about the increase in gun violence on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio argued that state-mandated COVID-19 restrictions are hamstringing the court system, leading to more violent crime. “Remember our court system is not functioning right now and that is making it bad for everyone,” de Blasio told a reporter. “We don’t run the courts. The State of New York needs to bring back our court system.” Lucian Chalfen, a spokesperson for the state court system, pointed out that the court system is running and regularly arraigning defendants after they are arrested. While in-person jury trials resumed three weeks ago, grand juries have been meeting since July. “Virtually, just last week, we commenced more than 1,200 bench trials and hearings (no jury) and conferenced 23,870 matters – both civil and criminal,” Chalfen wrote in an email. “On a daily basis NYC Criminal Court arraigns anywhere from 175-250 defendants, including 3 to a dozen illegal gun possession cases and holds other hearings in lieu of grand jury presentations.” Chalfen added, “The mayor should remember that the way shifting blame works is to be cognizant as to how another branch of government is functioning before doing so.”

Increase in pre-trial diversion programs that prohibit prosecution if, for example, one attends art classes. These programs were, even, offered to some gun offenders. These programs have increased the number offenders on our streets with the understanding by the offenders that in many cases an offender shall merely get a slap on the wrist. Starting on January 1, 2020 New York State supported by the New York City Council and Mayor de Blasio implemented Bail and Discovery reform. This Bail and Discovery Reform legislation led to an increase in the number of suspects out on bail and an expedited discovery process that is leading to the dropping of cases against suspects. Read extra details on Crime wave in New York 2021.

Additionally, the detractors note that many of the crimes were crime of desperation caused by economic stress on families. However, this argument does not pan out when we consider the statistics. The reality is that throughout New York’s history a link is not found between poverty and shootings. For example, the lowest homicide rate was, in New York, in 2016 and the poverty rate was higher in this year than in the year when we had the highest homicide rate – 1989. The stats do not add up to poverty being the cause of the increase in homicides and shootings.

Sean Hayes a 47-year old NY Attorney; Head of an International Law Firm; former lawyer working in China, Korea & Southeast Asia; former Professor, CEO, Dean of a UN University and Journalist fears that our City shall turn to the Dark Days of the 80s and early 90s, because of reactionary and radicalized politics in New York and the lack of experience, pragmatism, and problem-solving skills of our politicians. Sean is running in the Democratic Primary for City Council in District 1. Sean looked around and saw that the majority of candidates running for NY City Council and for Mayor lacked experience, centrist viewpoints & pragmatism and were too radicalized to manage the needs of residents of New York City. Discover additional info on https://www.seanhayes4nyc.com/.