Poll: Most New Yorkers Support Tougher Bail Laws, Want ‘Dangerous Criminals Off the Streets’

Roughly two-thirds of New York voters think bail law should be changed to give judges discretion to “keep dangerous criminals off the streets,” according to a Sienna College survey release on Tuesday.

Approximately 803 New York State registered voters polled between Feb. 14-17, were asked:

Three years ago, New York passed a law eliminating monetary bail for people facing misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges. Which of the following two views is closest to yours? The so-called bail reform law should be amended to give judges more discretion to keep dangerous criminals off the streets. — or The law should not be amended to give discretion on bail back to judges because it could once again lead to people of color being disproportionately denied bail.

Sixty-five percent of respondents agreed that the law should be amended to allow judges to consider a defendant’s prior record of violent crimes. Twenty-seven percent said the law should remain the same, and the remainder of those poll were undecided.

“Nearly two-thirds of New Yorkers – including strong majorities of Republicans, independents and Democrats, upstaters and downstaters – support amending the 2019 bail reform law and giving judges more discretion to keep dangerous criminals off the streets,” Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said. “Voters of color and young voters are more closely divided. Young voters favor amending the law by 12 points, Latinos by seven points and Black voters by four points.”

New York’s current bail law ensures defendants are automatically released if they are facing charges for a misdemeanor crime or a non-violent felony. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has talked about wanting to amend the law, but he has been met with resistance by Democrats and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), New York Post reported.

The same poll found that 60 percent of New Yorkers think crime is “a very serious problem” in the state, with another 31 percent saying it is “somewhat serious.” When asked about crime in their own communities, voters were slightly less concerned, 27 percent saying crime in their community is a “very serious problem,” with another 26 percent calling it “somewhat serious.”

The survey found that nearly one-quarter of New Yorkers are “very concerned” they may be a victim of a crime.

“Overall, 57 percent say they are very or somewhat concerned about being a victim of crime themselves. While about half of upstaters, downstate suburbanites and whites are concerned that they will be a victim, 71 percent of all New York City voters and about two-thirds of Black and Latino voters are concerned,” Greenberg said.

The poll results come around the same time that nearly every New York City Police Department precinct has reported seeing an increase in crime this year, with the rate doubling in five precincts. 

Several crimes committed by career criminals who were out on bail have also made headlines. In mid-February, a homeless career criminal was accused of killing 35-year-old Christina Yuna Lee by following her to her Chinatown apartment and stabbing her 40 times. Following her death, Lee’s landlord Brian Chin told media outlets the accused killer “should’ve been behind bars.”
“This never should have happened,” Chin said. “This guy should never have been here, with the rap sheet he has. He should’ve been behind bars. He shouldn’t have been on the street, and then this never would’ve happened.”