The lesson of NYC crime dropping is that ‘no bail’ is a terrible mistake

Nypost · May 04, 2026 · 571 words · By Jim Quinn

Criminal justice system Bail Reform Public safety

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What to know about Criminal justice system

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch released new crime statistics indicating that, compared to last April, crime in New York City last month was down 9.5% overall.

Claims checked 11

Techniques found 5

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center67%

Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch released new crime statistics indicating that, compared to last April, crime in New York City last month was down 9.5% overall.

Why it matters

That is very good news, and kudos are due to her and to the men and women of the NYPD.

Common ground

But before we start popping the champagne corks, we have to understand that comparing statistics year over year obscures the real crime story in NYC.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Criminal justice system story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that It fell to about 4,000 in April 2020, as the city released even more dangerous criminals because of COVID?
How does this story connect Criminal justice system with Bail Reform over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/04/opinion/the-lesson-of-nyc-crime-dropping-is-that-n…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 5 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Name Calling / Labeling 75% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Fear 80% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Causal Oversimplification 85% confidence

Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.

Why it matters: Recognizing causal oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 11 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 7

help Insufficient Evidence 2

schedule Pending 1

verified Verified By Reference 1

info

Claim 1: “It fell to about 4,000 in April 2020, as the city released even more dangerous criminals because of COVID.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The figure of approximately 4,000 inmates in April 2020 is mentioned in one source. While another source mentions Mayor de Blasio releasing inmates during COVID, it does not confirm the specific number 4,000.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — It fell to about 4,000 in April 2020, as the city released even more dangerous criminals because of COVID. Predictably, crime soared. The only thing bringing crime down now is that the population in c…
https://nypost.com/2026/05/04/opinion/the-lesson-of-nyc-crim…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — New York State only has about 3,000 ventilators, one for each intensive-care hospital room. Health care workers will need another 45 million of each of the following: surgical gowns, coveralls, gloves…
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/nyregion/coronavirus-new-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that hundreds of inmates in New York City will be released from the prisons and jails to combat the Coronavirus. De Blasio announced the incredibly dangerous and stu…
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/04/watch-bill-de-blasi…

schedule

Claim 2: “Jim Quinn is a retired career prosecutor in the Queens District Attorney’s Office, where he served for 42 years.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 3: “Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch released new crime statistics indicating that, compared to last April, crime in New York City last month was down 9.5% overall.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific statistic (9.5% decrease) is mentioned in one web search result. While other results mention crime declines, they do not provide this specific percentage or attribute it to Jessica Tisch in a way that constitutes independent corroboration.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The City of New York Police Department, also known as the New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Police_Departmen…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New York City Transit Police Department was a law enforcement agency in New York City that existed from 1953 (with the creation of the New York City Transit Authority) to 1995, and is currently pa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Transit_Police

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New York City police commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department and presiding member of the Board of Commissioners. The commissioner is appointed by and serves at the pleasure…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Police_Commissio…

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 4: “the population in city jails has risen, to about 6,600.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The current population figure of 6,600 is mentioned in only one source. The other results for this claim are irrelevant AT&T forum links.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — AT&T Community Forums
https://forums.att.com/conversations/wireless-billing/i-stil…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — AT&T Community Forums
https://forums.att.com/conversations/att-internet-air-equipm…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — AT&T Community Forums
https://forums.att.com/conversations/wireless-billing/scam-d…

verified

Claim 5: “felony index crime overall is up over 26% from what it was before the law passed.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

No evidence in the provided search results confirms the specific figure that felony index crime is up 'over 26%' since the law passed.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Knicks

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York City, with a Census-estimated population of 8,584,629 in July 2025, is a large and ethnically diverse metropolis. It is the largest city in the United States, and has a long history of intern…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_New_York_City

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 6: “the city is only building 4,400 total jail cells for a city of 8.4 million.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the construction of 4,400 total jail cells.

help

Claim 7: “Mayor Mamdani and the City Council are insisting on reducing the population in city jails by another 2,200 inmates in order to close Rikers.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Mayor Mamdani or the City Council's specific plan to reduce the population by 2,200 inmates.

info

Claim 8: “When bail reform was passed, city jails held 7,800 inmates.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The figure of 7,800 inmates at the time bail reform passed is mentioned in only one source.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — New York City is made up of five governmental districts named boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. Each borough is coextensive with a respective county of the State of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boroughs_of_New_York_City

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office ad…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_of_New_York_City

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 9: “Crime in NYC began its historic rise not last April but in 2019 when bail reform was passed”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim that crime began a 'historic rise' in 2019 due to bail reform is found in one specific web search result. Wikipedia's 'Crime in New York City' entry actually contradicts the 'historic rise' narrative by stating crime declined continuously from around 1990 throughout the present day.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Crime rates in New York City have been recorded since at least the 1800s. The highest crime totals were recorded in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the crack epidemic surged, and then declined conti…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_New_York_City

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — True Crime: New York City is a 2005 action-adventure video game developed by Luxoflux for PlayStation 2. It was ported to GameCube and Xbox by Exakt Entertainment, to Microsoft Windows by Aspyr, and t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_Crime:_New_York_City

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 10: “By Jan. 1, 2020, when the law took effect, the number of inmates had fallen to 5,800”

SINGLE SOURCE

The figure of 5,800 inmates by January 1, 2020, is mentioned in only one source.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 1, 2020, when the law took effect, the number of inmates had fallen to 5,800, as more than 2,000 career criminals were released with little to no supervision. It fell to about 4,000 in April 2020, as …
https://nypost.com/2026/05/04/opinion/the-lesson-of-nyc-crim…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The site owner hides the web page description.
https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/use-force-spikes-ny…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — At least 167 people currently detained in New York City jails now have COVID-19, an increase of more than 60 percent since Friday, according to a daily report from the Department of Correction. Anothe…
https://queenseagle.com/all/2020/3/30/at-least-167-nyc-inmat…

info

Claim 11: “While murders are down 14% from April 2019 to April 2026, robberies are up 8.8%, grand larcenies are up 9.4%, felony assaults up 50% and auto theft a whopping 171%.”

SINGLE SOURCE

These specific percentages (murders -14%, robberies +8.8%, etc.) and the date range (April 2019 to April 2026) appear only in one web search result. Note: The date 'April 2026' suggests the source may be projecting or contains a typo, as it is a future date relative to current real-time data.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following events occurred in April 1904:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_1904

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — April Fools' Day or April Fool's Day (rarely called All Fools' Day) is an annual custom in many Western countries on the 1st of April consisting of practical jokes, hoaxes, and pranks. Jokesters often…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools'_Day

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — NYC Ferry is a public network of ferry routes in New York City operated by Hornblower Cruises. As of August 2023, there are six routes, as well as one seasonal route, connecting 25 ferry piers across …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NYC_Ferry

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.