New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said it is “unconscionable” that inmates who are released early because of the coronavirus pandemic might commit new crimes that land them back in jail.
During a press conference on Monday, de Blasio was asked about a report from the New York Post that said at least 50 inmates charged with minor or nonviolent crimes who were granted early release have since re-offended and were put back behind bars, creating a recidivism rate around 3%.
“We do see some recidivism. I don’t have the exact numbers. We see some, I’ve not seen a huge amount, but any amount is obviously troubling,” de Blasio said. “I think it’s unconscionable, just on a human level, that folks were shown mercy, and this is what some of them have done.”
He added, “But, you know, it’s a small number of people.”
De Blasio said the New York City Police Department will continue to monitor those who have been released to prevent future crimes. He said anyone who commits an offense worthy of arrest will be returned to the jail. De Blasio reiterated his support for the decision, despite the recidivism rate.
“Against the backdrop of what was a real humanitarian crisis, it was the right approach. Now, we’re going to deal with everything going forward,” he said.
De Blasio released around 1,400 people from jail since the outbreak began. New York has been one of the hardest-hit states with more than 248,000 confirmed cases and 18,298 related deaths.
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