Public safety policies should be based on fairness, grounded in data

Editor:

Promoting public safety is the goal of all public servants, regardless of Democratic, Republican, or Independent. Since crime is a complex phenomenon, promoting public safety requires serious, thoughtful analysis grounded in data and fairness for the communities and the victims.

That is why after years of studies, Bail Reform, Raise the Age, and other criminal justice reforms were passed by New York State Legislature and signed into law by the Governor.  But that is not the end. These programs are constantly evaluated and tweaked to make them better.

Crime statistics are one important way to evaluate these programs. In Western New York, including in the GLOW region, violent crimes (including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) have dropped. In 2021 and 2022, there were approximately 6,000 incidents of violent crime while in 2024 and 2025 there were only about 4,000 incidents, according to New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) data.

Still, far too many, but the trend is improving. Studies by the Brennan Center, the University at Albany, John Jay College, and Loyola University have all confirmed that bail reform and other criminal justice reforms have had little or no effect on crime. The benefit to society is reduced incarceration and cost, while providing a more equitable system of justice for all. Other researchers have shown that long prison sentences do not reduce crime or improve public safety.

Both experience and research shows that the “lock-them-up-and-throw-away-the-key” approach to crime isn’t working. However, it won’t stop politicians like Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Senator Rob Ortt from telling their constituents that criminal justice reforms, like bail reform, contribute to increase in crime despite the factual evidence.

I suspect that is because crime is a complex issue that is not easy to address in a campaign slogan; to claim that you are tough on crime. It is much easier to claim your opponent is to blame, or immigrants are to blame for crime.

Regardless of what I think, the “tough-on-crime” approach shows a lack of understanding and an indifference to reducing crime. As I stated above, promoting public safety requires serious, thoughtful analysis.

Politicians like Mr. Hawley and Mr. Ortt are not serious about addressing the issues of crime. I urge voters to support candidates that support criminal justice reforms backed by the evidence that these reforms benefit all of society.

William Fine

Brockport