Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., wrote an op-ed in the New York Times over the weekend calling for the state legislature to make additional investments in New York’s mental health infrastructure.
D.A. Bragg writes that “Mental illness isn’t a crime, and jail isn’t the answer for those experiencing it. We must meet the needs of people in crisis with treatment and support. In order to do so, we need more funding.”
As lawmakers in Albany finalize budget negotiations, “Gov. Kathy Hochul and the leaders of the Senate and Assembly must make good on their earlier support for significant investments in mental health care — especially for New Yorkers who have been struggling, posing potential dangers to themselves and others. Doing so now can reduce assaults in our city by people experiencing mental health crises. They can also ensure that when those people do commit crimes, they are held accountable in a manner that reduces recidivism.”
D.A. Bragg notes that our failed mental health system is on stark display in New York City. While overall crime is down, “the city has witnessed terrifying acts of violence and alarming incidents of disorder. Innocent people shoved in front of oncoming trains is a citywide nightmare. Women fear being randomly punched while walking down the street. This is a humanitarian disaster, and a public health and safety crisis.”
He notes that the Office has already committed $9 million in mental health investments – Neighborhood Navigators and Court Navigators – to help those struggling with mental health issues.
The legislature can take additional steps by expanding problem-solving courts, funding community-based mental health treatment, building more supporting housing units, and more.
D.A. Bragg concludes, “Since I took office, we have made substantial progress in driving down murders and shootings in Manhattan, but the rise in felony assaults remains a persistent challenge. To reverse the post-Covid rise in random assaults of and by people with untreated mental illness, prevention-oriented investments are critical; enforcement has little deterrence value for crimes committed by those experiencing a mental health crisis.
Read the full op-ed here.
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