By Jan Ransom
When Richard A. Brown took over as the
district attorney in Queens in the early 1990s, murder and violent crime
had reached a record high in New York City. Like most prosecutors in
that era, Mr. Brown adopted a tough-on-crime approach, bringing the
hammer down on everything from squeegee men to drug kingpins.
On
Wednesday, Mr. Brown said he would not seek re-election next fall after
27 years in office, setting the stage for the first competitive primary
for Queens district attorney in decades. His decision raised the
likelihood that the diverse and changing borough might elect a liberal
prosecutor with a reform agenda, which would mark a sea change in local
law enforcement. At least five Democratic challengers are expected to
run.
The days of high crime when Mr.
Brown took office are long gone. The murder rate has fallen to its
lowest level since the 1950s, and prosecutors are rethinking their roles
in a system where success once hinged on the number of convictions
their offices amassed.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The New York Times
No comments:
Post a Comment