NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will consider a motion to ban repeat criminal offenders from its subway and bus system at its Wednesday meeting, following introduction of the motion in a committee meeting Monday.
MTA board member Sarah Feinberg, the former Federal Railroad Administration administrator, introduced the motion in the Bus and Subway Committee meeting, indicating her frustration with the New York Legislature’s failure to pass a bill to ban repeat offenders during its just-ended session.
“We are drawing a line in the sand,” she said, “and the public needs to be protected.”
Feinberg’s memorandum supporting the motion said that it was unacceptable to have repeat offenders committing criminal acts within the MTA system; that the MTA, legislature, and law enforcement share responsibility to protect riders and staff; and that law enforcement needs more tools and more support from the criminal justice system.
The motion sparked a subsequent statement of support from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “I thank the members of the MTA Board for their support, and call on our state legislative leaders and the courts to enact the strictest penalties possible so that every rider and worker remains safe in our transit system.”
Great idea……….but in what wild persons imagination can it be enforced?
Surprising news comin outta NYC, Ya see, MTA and all its subsidiaries are Public entities, Therefore, you cant ban anyone, surely NYC of ALL places in the world should know that, this wont even get past SD of NY circuit court. Not even the repeat offenders who piss & sh.. on the floor.
My guess is that this is going nowhere. There will be cries of racism and it will surely be struck down in court. Plus, Charles makes some good points about reintegrating former criminals into society. And, it would be a nightmare to police. The best way to protect yourself on the NYC subway to not take it. Use Uber, Lyft or a taxi instead.
What?! In New York? I am surprised the state doesn’t let the offenders drive the bus or train.
As far as I’m concerned, someone who has completed his/ her sentence and probabtion is an American citizen with all the rights and privileges.
This wouldn’t be a problem if the truly dangerous offenders were in jail, which is a foreign concept to America’s liberals.
Those that aren’t truky dangerous, once they’re out, they’re out.
By the way, how could this policy possibly be reconciled with the need to reintegrate former prisoners and have them work to support themseleves and their families.
How would you enforce this? How many extra employees would it require?
This is contrary to the City and State policies toward criminals. It will be struck down in court after the first test of this regulation.
I can just imagine how this will be enforced. At every entrance, everyone trying to get in will be asked, “Sir or Madam, are you a repeat criminal offender? If so, I can’t let you pass.” But of course, all political types have to show that they care and are doing something. “Huurrumph!”
For all the Blazing Saddles fans out there, the missing end of this story is a bunch of “hurrumph’s” from those present for the Gov’s statement. 🙂
ROBERT – Don’t you just love the way Liberals micro-manage crime instead of actually dealing with it?
What’s to stop a criminal from lurking in the subway entrance? Or on the street between the subway entrance and somewhere else?
Don’t micro-manage crime. Put a stop to it by throwing the most dangerous repeat offenders in jail and leaving them there. The others, the not dangerous, give them a job. Then they will be like anyone else earning a living.
ROBERT – As for the courts, this case would unite all the justices from far left to far right – it would be unanimously thrown out in less time than it takes to bang the gavel.
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