Manhattan D.A. Bragg: For ‘Too Long’ We’ve Had ‘Othering’ that ‘Anyone We Put in Jail Is a Criminal’ 

During a portion of an interview with the Fox News Channel aired on Wednesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that whether his decision to not prosecute certain offenses will give criminals a green light “depends upon your definition of a criminal.” And we’ve had “this othering of anyone we put in jail is a criminal.”

Fox News Senior Correspondent Eric Shawn asked, “Would these policies give criminals a green light?”

Bragg responded, “No, I mean, it at least depends upon your definition of a criminal. And for all too long we’ve kind of dealt with this othering of anyone we put in jail is a criminal. Well, you know what, we’re putting in jail homeless people who, literally, in one example, used one counterfeit bill to buy food and toothpaste, got a sentence of [several] years. So, if that’s your definition of a criminal, I suggest we need to really reorder ourselves.”

Bragg also said, “I had a knife to my neck. I’ve had a semi-automatic weapon to my head. I know these issues intimately. What we’re doing now is not working, plain and simple. And so, this is our path forward. This is how we reduce violent crime.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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