Persistent Offenders Threaten Peace in New York Subways

Even though the crime rate in New York’s subway system has seen a slight decline, a small group of 63 notorious repetitive offenders continue to disrupt the peace. Collectively, they have managed to amass over 5,000 arrests but only a mere five are currently in custody. Their criminal records, filled with charges ranging from assault and theft to minor nuisance offenses like turnstile-jumping, continue to grow as they are typically released without bail due to the state’s criminal justice reforms.

These persistent criminals are the most prominent issue within the transit system, despite an overall drop in citywide subway crimes. Law enforcement sources have expressed their frustration, stating that while crime levels are falling, it is the constant recurrence of these same offenders that creates a perceived state of disorder within the subway system. The criticism is largely directed towards the criminal justice reform’s approach to bail and perceived failures in prosecution.

Current figures released by the NYPD show that crime in the subway system across all five boroughs is indeed seeing a decrease, down by 3.8% in the first eight months of this year compared to the same timeframe in 2024. Over the past two years, crime rates have reduced by almost 6% due to dedicated law enforcement and strategic police deployments.

However, it is important to note that these improvements are not credited to the state’s criminal justice reforms enacted in 2019, which predominantly restrict judges from setting bail on most crimes including all non-violent ones. Instead, repeat offenders often receive minor punishments and are released while their legal proceedings are ongoing. This leniency has reportedly led to many re-offending while their cases continue.

This pattern of recurrent offending is particularly prevalent among numerous subway system culprits. A notorious 39-year-old man stands out with a total of 198 arrests, 190 of which are linked to the subway system—with an alarming 36 of them occurring this year alone. His charges predominantly involve alleged tampering with the subway’s MetroCard machines.

Another recurring offender is a 28-year-old man, with 149 lifetime arrests. Over the course of this year since May alone, he has been arrested 18 times on charges such as alleged theft and forgery. One instance even took place when he was discovered lying on a subway platform with vials in his possession, according to sources.

Thus far, a 53-year-old man has accumulated 72 career arrests for charges involving alleged grand larceny, trespassing, and the possession of illicit substances. These charges include the six times he was arrested since being placed on probation in May due to a conviction for possession of stolen property.

Specific offenses highlighted among these chronic culprits involve sexually related crimes such as public indecency and unlawful physical contact. A 26-year-old has a record of 29 arrests—13 of which involved sex-related crimes. He allegedly touched female passengers inappropriately and made unwanted physical contact.

Yet another repeat offender, a 38-year-old man, has a record of 48 arrests involving alleged robbery, public indecency, and theft. A further instance involves a 32-year-old man, with 18 arrests on his record, including alleged inappropriate touching and robbery. He has been charged with making unsolicited physical contact with a woman in the subway and assaulting another to steal her phone.

He was put on probation in May following a robbery conviction and has been arrested at least once since then. Out of the six named chronic offenders, only the 26-year-old is currently in custody. The rest continue to freely navigate the streets and the subway system.

The 26-year-old was finally detained without bail in February after being charged with the forcible touching of a minor. The other offenders, represented primarily by public defenders over the years, continue to be a significant concern within the subway system.

Some of the charges against these recurring offenders were minor and didn’t necessitate the presence of a lawyer. However, it’s the overall pattern of constant re-offense that paints a worrying image and substantiates the calls for a rethink of the current criminal justice reforms and their approach towards bail and prosecution.