NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board has passed a resolution supporting the right to ban repeat criminal offenders from subways and buses.
The resolution was proposed at a committee meeting on Monday by board member Sarah Feinberg, the former head of the Federal Railroad Administration [See “New York MTA to consider subway, bus ban for repeat criminal offenders,” Trains News Wire, June 25, 2019].
The MTA has no actual authority to ban repeat offenders, which would require an act of the state legislature, but the resolution called for a “mechanism” allowing it to do so.
Patch New York City reports that one board member, David Jones, abstained from the vote, voicing concerns that such bans could prevent people from getting to work or to mental-health care, increasing their reliance on crime. “I’m just worried that we don’t use a sledgehammer to take on a problem which is sever, but is dropping every month we have reports,” Jones said. The New York Police Department reported a 7% drop in subway felonies in May over the same month a year earlier.
How are they going to enforce this? Consider the amount of riders on the system daily, and considering the sheer number of people who might be banned, who is going to have the time and ability to scan the crowd for offenders? And who will have the legal ability and authority to stop someone? I would think the police are busy enough without trying to do this. It seems unenforceable to me.
When you say repeat offenders, do you mean people who commit crimes on public transport like muggers or drug dealers, if so probably best to ban them from public transport. If you mean people who commit crimes in general wouldn’t be counter productive to ban a drunk driver from taking public transport meaning that he (it often is a he not a she) is more likely to drink drive again?
So in other words they passed a meaningless resolution. Even if the measure had actual effect it would solve nothing. And of course the courts would tear it down in a microsecond.
What’s next, a resolution prohibiting ex-felons from working or raising a family? These board members are the same jackasses who tell you what compassionate caring liberals they are.
I happen to have a close family member with a felony record (and who served time) who is a great parent and holds a highly responsible job.
Yes Gerald I know the difference between repeat offenders and less dangerous offenders. Those truly dangerous belong in prison and need to have longer sentences. Those not in prison (and off probabtion) have the same rights as you and I do.
Charles, let me repeat it for you, “REPEAT offenders”, and who’s to say the MTA can’t ban them from taking public transit.