URGENT UPDATE: The conviction rate for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has plummeted to just 35%, prompting concerns from the public as data transparency is compromised. The Manhattan DA’s office has quietly removed its data dashboard from its website, leading to accusations of obscuring critical information from voters ahead of the upcoming elections.
New reports reveal that out of 19,602 felony cases last year, only 6,871 resulted in convictions. This marks a significant decline from prior years, falling from 37% in 2023, 40% in 2022, and 42% in 2021. These figures are starkly lower than the 64% conviction rate seen in 2019, before New York’s controversial discovery reform laws took effect.
Critics are raising alarms about Bragg’s approach to prosecution, with 66% of convictions resulting in downgraded charges to misdemeanors or non-criminal violations. The number of felony cases Bragg’s office has chosen not to prosecute has nearly doubled, from 7% in 2022 to 12% in 2024. This alarming trend has raised questions about public safety and the effectiveness of Bragg’s policies.
“These outcomes are by design,” stated Rafael Mangual, a legal fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Mangual criticized Bragg’s philosophy, asserting that “incarceration should be the last resort,” which he claims undermines the public safety benefits of incarceration.
Misdemeanor convictions are also taking a hit, dropping from 24% in 2022 to just 17% in 2024. The DA’s office has increasingly declined to prosecute misdemeanors, with refusal rates climbing from 9% in 2022 to 31% in 2024.
The sudden removal of the data dashboard, which had been touted as “groundbreaking” and aimed at enhancing transparency, has sparked outrage among residents. Scott Evans, a West Village resident, expressed his frustration, stating, “They’re hiding behind the curtain of ‘there’s no data to talk about.’” Evans reported that when he inquired about the missing dashboard, he faced dismissive responses about potential data misinterpretation.
The Manhattan DA’s office claims it is collaborating with other boroughs to determine how to present data moving forward, but specific details remain undisclosed. Before its removal, the dashboard was updated weekly and provided vital insights into the office’s prosecution trends.
As October 2024 approaches, the timing of this data withdrawal raises pressing questions about accountability and transparency in the DA’s office. “This is exactly the wrong time to take that tool away from the public,” Mangual warned, emphasizing the importance of public access to such data amidst an election cycle.
With the stakes high, the community is left wondering how these developments will impact public safety and the upcoming election. Stay tuned for updates as this situation evolves.
