Halberstam Calls on Governor Hochul to Deal With ‘Public Safety Problem’

Daily News Oped by Devorah Halberstam

It’s historic and inspiring to have Kathy Hochul as New York’s first duly elected female governor. It’s about time a woman led our state.

Crime was a major issue in the recent gubernatorial campaign, and rightly so. Once again, it has become a serious problem in our city and our state. And it is in that context that I call on Hochul, who I consider a friend, to act.

The criminal justice system is complicated, but one thing we should all agree on is that part of its core mission is to deliver justice for victims. For someone like me, who has spent many years tied up in the criminal justice system — my son Ari was murdered by a terrorist in 1994 — I am sorry to say that, all too often, victims are treated like children, expected to be seen and not heard.

Hochul is now in a unique and powerful position to change that.

The plight of crime victims is huge, inadequately reflected in statistics, or posters or a victim impact statement. When you are hurt or a loved one is killed in a violent act, your world changes forever, as does your relationship with the city you live in.

We need to reorient the system to deliver to victims the justice they deserve: to understand what is important to them, how the crime impacted their lives, and what the system can do to make it right. Despite some excellent victim services groups operating in our state, many victims are left to navigate the complicated system of cops, prosecutors and courts largely on their own. They typically don’t have court-appointed lawyers or law firms helping them, like defendants do.

Victims must have a voice, truly equal to that of every other participant in the criminal justice process, and have their views respected and honored to the maximum extent. They need to be full-fledged partners in the process.

Criminal prosecution is an executive function. Hochul is our state’s chief executive. Though the 62 county DAs were independently elected, she has the power to make sure that they do far more to bring victims into the fold.

New York has experienced sharp rises in felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, robbery (even as shootings and murders are trending down). But to me, one crime that’s on the rise deserves Hochul’s special attention: hate crime. There is a new and insidious strain of bigoted anger in our communities, and we need to capture and eradicate it because, if left unaddressed, it will grow like a cancer. It’s already happening, with famous people from the sports and entertainment worlds helping fuel bigotry.

While the governor has commendably increased funding for protecting soft targets and houses of worship, it is equally important and more cost-effective to address the core problem: bias. While some bias crimes are committed by hardened criminals or perpetrators with mental illnesses, that’s not true of all. We must work to eradicate bias through better education of our youth.

Our youngsters must learn to respect all of New York’s cultures, races and religions through our educational system. I propose that the governor create anti-bias youth summits, bringing youngsters from New York City and State to meet, hosted by right-thinking sports and celebrity icons and others who can serve as positive role models.

Anti-Semitism is among the strains of bias that plagues our state. My son Ari and his schoolmates were targeted because they were Jewish. Nearly 29 years later, hatred of Jews is exploding.

Anti-Semitic incidents in this country rose from 751 in 2013 to 2,717 in 2021, a 262% increase in only eight years.

Anti-Semitic incidents in New York City recently rose 24% in a single year — from 336 in 2020, to 416 in 2021. This included a 325% increase in anti-Semitic assaults during that time, from 12 to 51 — the most anti-Semitic assaults ever recorded in a single year in New York City. Earlier this month, synagogues throughout New Jersey were forced to confront the unfortunate prospect of closing for Shabbat, because of a credible threat of anti-Semitic violence.

The governor must ensure that prosecutors and police throughout New York State make anti-Semitic violence a top priority – for prevention, enforcement, and punishment — just like our federal Justice Department has done.

It is encouraging that Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams work well together. Their partnership can only help the process along. These issues are literally a matter of life and death.

Gov. Hochul has a tremendous opportunity to carve her own path and create her own legacy. The governor is a dignified, humble and determined woman — hallmarks of a true leader. I am confident that she can make the changes that we need.

Halberstam is the chair of the NYPD’s civilian Hate Crime Review Panel.