NEW YORK — In response to the final New York State budget for fiscal year 2025, Jullian Harris-Calvin, director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Greater Justice New York initiative, issued the following statement:

“We have seen a consistent emphasis from the state and city administration on a ‘tough-on-crime’ playbook that does not reflect what New Yorkers actually want, and the fiscal year 2025 budget is no different. Crime is a real concern for New Yorkers—across the state, 60 percent still say they’re concerned about being a crime victim, while 40 percent of likely voters in New York City say public safety is their top concern—but their faith in the approach of New York leadership is at an all-time low. Last week saw Governor Hochul’s favorability rating drop to 40-49 percent, while Mayor Adams is polling at just 16 percent support from likely voters.

“New Yorkers actually know what it will take to keep us safe. Both in New York and across the country, voters see community-based safety solutions as more effective than the tired ‘tough-on-crime’ approach. That means solutions that comprehensively prevent crime, respond to harm, and stop violence, including treating mental health and substance use, tackling increased poverty and homelessness, getting illegal guns off the street, and providing youth with support and guidance. We deeply appreciate the state legislature’s work to this end, including adding more than $41 million to address the mental health needs of people in the criminal legal system and other New Yorkers in crisis. But this budget comes nowhere near meeting New Yorkers’ growing needs.

“Two key areas of concern for the people of New York are retail theft and hate crimes. The ‘tough-on-crime’ measures forced through the fiscal year 2025 budget won’t actually address those real concerns—policies that lengthen sentences and increase charges and punishments do not meaningfully deter crime, but they will increase our prison and jail populations. And the included hate crime enhancements are, in fact, disproportionately likely to further penalize people of color, exacerbating racial disparities and cycles of incarceration. Instead of perpetuating it, we need to prevent crime before it happens.

“Our leaders need to be serious about New Yorkers’ safety—this budget was a missed opportunity to prove their commitment. We stand ready to work with our elected officials to pass evidence-based interventions, such as the Retail Workers Safety Act, the regulation of online platforms to shut down illegal marketplaces, and the creation of adequate tax credits and financial support for small business owners. We further urge legislators to address what drives bigotry by investing in expansive public education campaigns, cultural awareness programming, and diversion opportunities to prevent and heal hate-fueled harm to New Yorkers of all backgrounds.

“The workers and residents of New York deserve real solutions, but the fiscal year 2025 budget’s approach will not make them safer. It will instead subject many more people—particularly from communities of color—to the harms of punishment and incarceration that have devastated generations.”