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Q&A
Case processing and population reduction strategies
0:54:28
·
3 min
The discussion focuses on strategies to improve case processing and reduce the jail population. The commission outlines their proposals and the potential for significant population reduction.
- The commission emphasizes the need for collaboration among all players in the system, including DAs, defense, and courts.
- They propose that it's possible to reduce the jail population by at least 2,000 people.
- The discussion highlights the potential to simultaneously reduce incarceration and crime rates.
- Examples of successful initiatives, such as DA Gonzalez's 2020 initiative in Brooklyn, are mentioned as models for changing the approach to case processing.
Jonathan Lippman
0:54:28
I I can only talk to you in in about the case processing situation that includes the DAs, the defense, the courts.
0:54:41
Part of the court's initiative, Judge Wilson and Judge Zayas' initiative, is to get all the players to stop pointing fingers at each other and work together to have, meaningful court appearances, meaningful trial dates, meaningful, conferences, status conferences to to get them working towards moving that population down.
0:55:10
I think I mentioned it before.
0:55:12
We believe it is not overly ambitious to think that you can reduce the population by at least 2,000 people.
0:55:22
And we have it broken down in the report, I believe, Zach, by the particular how we get to that number.
0:55:28
Right?
0:55:29
That so we think this with a nearing 7,000 now or whoever they are, it is not unrealistic to think that they could get to 4,500 or so.
0:55:42
Remember, as Stanley mentioned before, driving down incarceration and driving down crime are not mutually exclusive.
0:55:52
It was the New York City miracle twenty years ago taking, getting rid of the 20,000 people who are in a lot of jails and at the same time, breaking crime down.
Tiffany Cabán
0:56:04
Crime rates and incarceration rates have never been directly correlated, by the way.
0:56:08
And I I know that you you guys know that, but I think it's important for for the record.
0:56:12
I, you know, I obviously I I practiced for a minute before doing this job.
0:56:18
And I think in terms of roles for the DAs, some of the things that we're seeing on the executive level, I'm wondering if you think this is part of the issue, you know, bumping up cases involving crimes of poverty just because you can.
0:56:33
Right?
0:56:33
Those burg three bump ups, those those petty thefts that then become burglaries.
0:56:38
And that not only delays cases, but also has bad outcomes.
Jonathan Lippman
0:56:42
But but let me give you an example.
0:56:44
You take a DA like DA Gonzalez in Brooklyn.
0:56:49
I worked with him, with a number of other people on his 2020 initiative.
0:56:54
We said let's change the way we think about the cases.
0:56:59
Instead of saying that to his DAs, listen, you get the highest punishment you could get.
0:57:07
Instead, look at that case and say, what is the best, the highest justice Yeah.
0:57:13
We can get?
0:57:14
So you have to change the thinking in individual, DAs, you know, have different views and the people elect them.
0:57:23
But there are always you can change the thinking that results in some of the things you're talking about that result in keeping people to jail for longer periods than they need to be, if at all.
Tiffany Cabán
0:57:35
Chair, may I have, like, thirty more seconds to close?
Sandy Nurse
0:57:37
Thirty more seconds.