Soft-on-crime Carl Heastie facing increase in rape and robbery in NYC district

Soft-on-crime state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, representing the Bronx, is facing backlash as crime rates in his district have surged. Major crime in the precinct covering his district has increased by 27%, with spikes in five out of seven major crime categories. Specifically, rape has increased by 175%, felony assault by 18%, robbery by 6%, grand larceny by 70%, and auto larceny by 9%. Critics blame Heastie’s support for bail reform for the rise in crime, arguing that released felony suspects are contributing to the problem.

Heastie was a key advocate for the state’s controversial 2019 criminal justice reforms, including the elimination of cash bail for most misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges. This reform has been criticized for creating a revolving door for released felony suspects. He further sparked outrage by rejecting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to toughen sentences for retail thieves, stating that he believes raising penalties is not a deterrent for crime. Many business owners and activists in Heastie’s district are frustrated with his lenient stance on crime, particularly violent shoplifters.

Bronx activist Bernard Smith, who founded Stop the Violence after losing family members to gun violence, expressed disappointment in Heastie’s approach to crime. Smith emphasized the importance of consequences for criminal behavior, highlighting his own experience of learning a lesson from being sentenced to 90 days for shoplifting 40 years ago. He criticized the disappearance of seniors from the streets due to rising fear in the city and accused Heastie of failing to address the escalating crime rates, even after a murder occurred outside his office last year.

A drive-by shooting outside Heastie’s district office resulted in a 20-year-old man being fatally shot, with two suspects being arrested later. Despite this incident, Heastie was nowhere to be found according to critics. Heastie, along with state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, has opposed Gov. Hochul’s proposal to give judges more discretion over bail by rolling back the requirement for the “least restrictive” standards. Additionally, Heastie has supported the state’s “Raise the Age” law, which raised the age for criminal liability for suspects to 18.

As crime rates continue to rise in Heastie’s district, critics highlight the negative impact of his policies on the community. Retired NYPD sergeant and John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor Joseph Giacalone noted that while other New York City precincts have shown improvement, Heastie’s district is seeing an increase in crime and a decline in quality of life. Activist Bernard Smith emphasized the need for more than just photo ops and called for a proactive approach to address crime in the area, urging Heastie to actively engage with the community and tackle the root causes of criminal behavior.