Let’s stop blaming a reform that’s been hobbled
Manhattan: Re “We raised the age, now lift youngsters” (op-ed, Nov. 22): Raise the Age works. The law isn’t the problem — Albany’s failure to release nearly $1 billion in funding needed to implement it is. That funding is essential for the services and supports young people rely on, as Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark acknowledges. But her argument that prosecuting more teens as adults will improve public safety is not supported by the facts.
Fact: Youth crime across New York has been falling for a decade. Juvenile arrests outside New York City have dropped 63%, and within the city, 77%, with serious index offenses by youth cut in half. These long-term trends directly contradict claims that Raise the Age has fueled violence. Fact: Young people charged with serious offenses are already prosecuted as adults. All felony cases begin in Criminal Court, and cases involving significant injury, the display of a firearm, sexual offenses or “extraordinary circumstances” remain there, where adult sentencing applies. Family Court is not a lenient alternative. It imposes secure detention, intensive supervision, mandated counseling and long-term placement when necessary.
We all want every young person safe. Creating pathways for unspent Raise the Age dollars to reach counties, adopting the Youth Justice Innovation Fund, and strengthening community-based resources like New York City’s Crisis Management System are what consistently prevent violence and support accountability — not expanding adult prosecution for children. To strengthen and sustain the progress we’ve made, Albany must finally deliver the full funding Raise the Age was promised. Dawne Mitchell, juvenile rights practice chief attorney, and Tina Luongo, criminal defense practice chief attorney, The Legal Aid Society
Irresponsible outing
Sunnyside: Regarding the tragic murder of Gibson Winters (“Ex-con dad gunned down,” Nov. 24), “devoted” dads aren’t normally hitting nightclubs at 4 a.m., especially being a convict. Devoted dads are home with their kids, or if they don’t live with them, at home safe — not out at 4 a.m. Brian Augello
Evidence aplenty
Somerset, N.J.: The police had the license plate and a video of the car that hit and killed June Huggins (“B’klyn hit-run arrest,” Nov. 23) and it took them six weeks to find and arrest Luis Machado! James Zielinski
To be answered
Chester, N.J.: Re “City releases info on Ground Zero toxins” (Nov. 24): It’s time to open congressional hearings, as well as hearings at the local level. The players: What did head of the EPA Christine Todd Whitman know, and when did she know it? What did the mayors know? You know, “America’s Mayor,” Rudy Giuliani? And the mayors that followed him (Mike Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio and Mayor Adams)? The timing and the actions: Who ordered these documents to be hidden away? Who knew of their existence while 9/11 workers who were poisoned by the toxins were fighting for funding? Who will get these documents, and how will things be made right: What do the documents say? Were people harmed in ways the people who created and held the documents knew about but kept secret? Will people be compensated? Who will be held accountable? This is scandalous, and rocks our trust in government to the core. David J. Melvin
Personal PPL experience
Clarence, N.Y.: Re “CDPAP is protecting care and taxpayers” (op-ed, Nov. 23): Miki Kapoor says Public Partnerships LLC “never loses sight of the people behind the numbers.” I’m one of those people, and I feel completely invisible. I’ve been on the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program for 19 years. My previous provider was familiar with my case, answered my calls and ensured that my aides were paid on time. Since PPL took over, I’ve spent hours on hold, spoken to representatives who know nothing about my situation, and watched my aides struggle with late and missing paychecks. Kapoor calls this “compassion.” I call it chaos. I was on a first-name basis with my representatives at the Independent Living Center, who worked with me to find assistants and address myriad other issues when needed. I don’t need PPL’s “analytics” and “oversight.” I need reliable care and caregivers who can pay their rent. The old system worked. This one doesn’t. Janine L. Hunt-Jackson
Said and done
Brooklyn: Kudos to the Daily News Voice of the People column. When my letter was printed in the Oct. 22 edition, calling for the N.Y. Giants to fire head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, I had no idea of the power your paper wielded. Daboll was fired Nov. 10 and Bowen was fired Nov. 24. There is a Santa Claus. Happy early birthday and Christmas to me. Jimmy Orr
Big spender
Tamarac, Fla.: Zohran Mamdani can make all the promises he wants in his “free everything” campaign to the people of New York, but that doesn’t mean those promises can all be met. Everyone would love cheap groceries, free bus service, low rents, etc., but his power to make all that happen can only go so far. He can weaken the economy in no time if he gives everything away for free, but he’s not worried. He plans to raise taxes on rich people. Someone should remind socialist Mamdani that as a rich man living a lavish capitalist lifestyle, he just might be a little out of touch with reality. Roberta Chaleff
Puny power
Bronx: To Voicer Ed Temple: The reason we don’t have laws/mandates requiring AI centers to be powered by wind and solar has nothing to do with Republicans and their love of oil and gas. Wind and solar probably couldn’t keep the nation’s cell phones charged at this point, never mind providing the power required to run AI. Chuck Shannon
‘Peace’ in his time
Brewster, N.Y.: Let’s recap the Russia-Ukraine “peace” plan: Ukraine has to give up its claims to Crimea, plus eastern and additional territory lost to Russia; Ukraine has a cap on the size of its military (but not Russia); Ukraine can’t join NATO. Vladimir Putin would like to restore the old Soviet Union. Failing that, he wants to exercise strong influence over his neighbors, reminiscent of the Cold War. What’s worse is the president going along with this. Neville Chamberlain would have been proud of our president. The American president is supposed to protect the values of democracy and freedom. This president acts like a shill for the Kremlin. Larry Maslak
Illegal orders
North Bergen, N.J.: The six Democratic members of Congress who bravely spoke out to remind members of our armed services that it’s their duty to disobey unlawful and unconstitutional orders and commands are being accused of sedition (“Don: Lock up pols who tell G.I.s to defy orders seen as unconstitutional,” Nov. 21). Why isn’t Trump, who took an oath to the Constitution, being accused of sedition for insisting his orders must be obeyed regardless of the law and the Constitution? The six Democrats are wasting much-needed time and energy proving their innocence when it’s the president who is clearly guilty of sedition. Let Trump try to prove his innocence. Irving A. Gelb
Selfish on sedition
Howard Beach: So, Trump gets all worked up over what he considers “seditious behavior” by members of Congress. It’s obvious that it was of no concern when he pardoned 14 of the J6 rioters who were convicted of seditious conspiracy. Ed Sullivan
Need to repent
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.: Ancient Nineveh was an immoral, violent and wicked city. There was no limit to its evil. The prophet Jonah went to the city to warn the people that God’s judgment was not far away unless they repented of their wicked ways (Jonah, 1:1). The people repented and Nineveh was spared judgment (Jonah, 3:10). The world today is turning into a global Nineveh and needs thousands of Jonahs to travel the world and call nations and cities to repent of their sinful behavior (see the Ten Commandments). If that ever happened, there would be peace and prosperity everywhere. If a “Jonah” came to you today and called you to repentance, what would you say? “Get lost whacko! Not today. My life is cool. Don’t need God.” Or would you let him explain how you can be sure of going to heaven when you die? Jim Black