The position of Manhattan district attorney is one that has not been vacant in 34 years. It is an office that sees some of the most violent crimes in this city, as well as high-profile white-collar crimes. The diversity of the prosecution is as varied as the city of New York and that is why it takes a very special individual to lead such a diverse office.
While all of the Democratic candidates are capable individuals, there are unique qualities and issues that make Cy Vance the ideal candidate. Vance, who worked in the D.A.’s office in the 1980s, has handled cases involving murder, organized crime, career criminals, political corruption and white-collar crime. While he has prosecuted offenders to the fullest extent of the law, he has also been active in sentencing reform, serving on Gov. Paterson’s Commission on Sentencing Reform, which delivered the first serious reform of the Rockefeller drug laws in more than 30 years.
Vance sees that the justice system is ever evolving and that the same measures that worked curbing and prosecuting crime in the past may not be as relevant today. He believes that alternatives to incarceration may help to reduce the number of young people in the prison pipeline. With nearly one in three young Black men spending time under supervision nationally, this is a critical issue in our community.
He also wants to reform the criminal court and help reduce the backlog that, in the end, costs the city millions. He wants to protect communities by implementing “Community Based-Justice,” a program that partners with the community to break the cycle of violence. In addition, it will mean closer ties with police departments whereby the D.A.’s will know the officers they are dealing with and may be able to identify police misconduct before it has an adverse effect on our communities.
Vance also is a great proponent of creating programs for re-entry and alternatives to incarceration. From creating a cabinet-level re-entry director to focusing on different options instead of incarceration, he wants to change the way justice is carried out in this city.
He understands that our communities are distrustful of the legal system and, in many cases, the police as well. He wants to implement measures that will ensure the safety and the rights of our communities while being cognizant of the very real fears our community has.That is why the New York Amsterdam News endorses Cy Vance for Manhattan district attorney.
Click here to see the story on the Amsterdam News website [1] (Registration required)
Links:
[1] http://amsterdamnews.com/articles/2009/09/03/news/doc4a9ff23f86fdb765443126.txt