Support for New Bail Law Plunges in NY

Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg says, “Support for the new bail law – which took effect in January after passage as part of the budget last year – continues to plummet. In April, New Yorkers thought the new law would be good for the state by 17 points. Last month, voters said the new law is bad for the state by a margin of 12 points. Today, that margin for thinking the law is bad for New York has bulged to 26 points.”

The press release, with trend data, is here. See page 3 and the last page. The crosstabs are available here. See page 5.

The trend noted by Greenberg is the most important part of the story. Like most criminal justice “reform” measures, this one was sold with unrealistic predictions for its effect, or lack of effect, on public safety. Support falls as people wake up to the fact that they have been duped.

The crosstabs are also interesting. Support for the new law is below majority even among Democrats. Independents are against it by more than 2-to-1. Majorities are opposed in all regions, all religions, all income brackets, and both genders. A plurality of Latinos are opposed, despite the race-pandering that goes into the promotion of this and other soft-on-crime measures. Of all categories, majorities continue to support the law only among African-Americans and self-described liberals.