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Scofflaws of New York, rejoice — the City Council has cleared the way for you to litter, loiter and pee in the street to your heart’s content.
New legislation dubbed the “Criminal Justice Reform Act” was passed by lawmakers Wednesday, giving miscreants a get-out-of-jail-free card by eliminating the criminal penalties on a raft of quality-of-life crimes.
The disgusting and disturbing acts that the council voted to decriminalize include drinking alcohol out of a paper bag, lurking in parks after hours, urinating in the street and making enough of a racket to violate the noise code.
Under the legislation, which Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign, offenders will face only civil summonses instead of criminal citations….
Looks like New York City wants to "de-criminalize" some specific offenses.
In enforcing misdemeanors and non-criminal offenses, the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) may either issue a criminal or civil summons, among other options. This bill states the Council has determined that criminal summonses should only be used for certain low-level offenses in limited circumstances, and requires the NYPD to provide guidance to its officers on when to use criminal and civil summonses, and make such guidance public. The bill also adds definitions for terms such as “civil summons” to create uniformity in the use of these terms throughout the Administrative Code.
originally posted by: CynConcepts
From what I gather from your source is that this is still considered a civil offense. They are just removing the criminalization of such disobedience. I have to say I have to agree that while such actions are offensive...it is not criminal intent.
The disgusting and disturbing acts that the council voted to decriminalize include drinking alcohol out of a paper bag, lurking in parks after hours...
originally posted by: Phage
Looks like New York City wants to "de-criminalize" some specific offenses.
Why the quotation marks?
Making something a civil offense rather than a criminal offense is indeed decriminalization. But it does not make it legal.
Fox
Backers say the changes will divert more than 100,000 cases from the criminal court system every year, avoid the issuance of 50,000 warrants annually and prevent nearly 10,000 people annually from having permanent criminal records. There are currently 1.5 million open warrants in the city, which has about 8.5 million residents.
"If you're in the park after hours you should get a civil violation," said Council member Daniel Garodnick, a Democrat. "If you have an open container you should get a civil violation. We will free up law enforcement and the criminal justice system."
Supporters of the bills said harsh penalties for carrying an open can of beer and other low-level, nonviolent offenses have a disproportionate effect on black and Latino New Yorkers.
originally posted by: Phage
Why the quotation marks?
Making something a civil offense rather than a criminal offense is indeed decriminalization. But it does not make it legal.