Shoplifting epidemic has cost NYC workers their jobs, Eric Adams says Albany in bail reform petition

The Big Apple store burglary epidemic is robbing retail workers of their jobs, Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday, backing Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push to give judges a little more leeway when setting bail for criminal defendants.

While testifying at Albany’s annual budget hearing, known as “Tin Cup Day,” when mayors propose resources in the state budget, Assemblyman Mike Reilly (R-Staten Island) asked Adams about solutions to the problems of “organized retailing.” “. crime” and the “revolving door” of the justice system.

“So what we can’t do is let repeat offenders mock our criminal justice system—and repeatedly!” He said.

“We are losing chain stores that are closing. The people who work in these stores are losing their jobs. They increase our unemployment.”

Adams, whose joint legislature hearing was interrupted by a surprise Senate vote rejecting Hochul’s choice of Judge Hector LaSalle to head the Court of Appeal, also outpaced critics in his desire to crack down on unrepentant shoplifters.

“So people who say we criminalize the poor are wrong,” he said. “Poor and low-income New Yorkers are out of work because we’re losing these businesses in our city.”

Adams said there are three categories of shoplifters: those who are “part of an organized group,” people with substance abuse problems, and “those who need basic services.”

Adams said the first group should be dealt with by the criminal justice system. But for others, prosecution should be delayed and their underlying concerns should be addressed by social service providers.

Adams also appears to have dropped his repeated demand that New York City judges be given the power to consider the danger defendants pose to the public when posting bail, as is required by law in every other state and federal court system.

Instead, the mayor supported Hohul’s plan to strike down a provision in the state’s controversial 2019 bail reform law that requires judges to use the “least restrictive” measures to ensure defendants return to court.

“The Governor’s Budget rightly proposes to keep us safe by giving us additional tools to deal with our recidivist crises,” Adams said. “Changes to the ‘least restrictive’ standard proposed by the Governor will go a long way towards solving our problem of repeat offenders.

Advertising

Advertising

“This is very important because a disproportionate share of serious crimes in New York is committed by a limited number of extreme repeat offenders – approximately 2,000 people – who commit crime after crime while on the street on bail,” he added.