Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. told staff at Rikers Island on Monday not to ask for bail in many nonviolent cases, even though the policy could result in additional “low level” crimes.
Under the new directive, trial division attorneys should avoid asking for bail when “the threat of confinement under these conditions outweighs the threat to the community.” Executive Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi Orbon said this order will be in effect for at least the next few weeks, according to the New York Post.
An email sent to trial division attorneys on Tuesday added that the office will still ask for supervised release and other noncash conditions. The email also lists three criteria that must all be met for bail to be waived — the crime is nonviolent, the defendant doesn’t have violent offenses or sex crimes in the last 10 years, and the defendant has not failed to appear in the case.
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“In light of the conditions faced by those individuals detained at Rikers, we have endeavored to ensure that our practices are as equitable as possible, even though we understand that releasing some individuals may, unfortunately, lead to additional low level crime,” Orbon wrote. “Thank you all for your seemingly endless flexibility and for always tirelessly advocating for crime victims as we continue to respond to various crises.”
Politicians who have toured Rikers noted poor inmate conditions at the prison. Over a dozen local and state lawmakers who toured Rikers Island on Sept. 13 described the conditions at the prison as “tortuous,” “inhumane,” and “horrific,” according to ABC 7 News.
Deaths inside the prison have also been a concern — the most recent occurred on Sept. 19, marking the 11th death inside the prison this year.
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New York City’s Department of Correction did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
