Manhattan DA’s Conviction Rate Declines Under Bragg

The conviction rate in Manhattan has seen a notable decline since Alvin Bragg assumed the role of District Attorney. However, finding detailed statistics is proving to be a challenge, as the DA’s office has marked its data dashboard as “under construction.”

In 2024, only 35% of felony cases resulted in convictions, which is a dip from 37% in 2023. Reports indicate that, in previous years, 40% of cases saw convictions in 2022 and 42% in 2021. To put it in perspective, back in 2019, a considerable 64% of felony cases led to convictions, as noted by some sources.

Bragg, who made history in 2022 as the first Black District Attorney in Manhattan, has seen a shift in how the office handles prosecutions. According to findings, 66% of cases that resulted in a conviction were later reduced to non-criminal offenses or misdemeanors.

Furthermore, Bragg’s decision to decline prosecution of felony cases has increased. The percentage rose from 7% in 2022 to 12% in 2024, which, perhaps, raises some eyebrows.

Misdemeanor convictions have also faced a decline, dropping from 24% in 2023 to just 17% in 2024. Bragg reportedly chose not to indict 31% of misdemeanors this year, a notable increase from 9% in 2022 and 19% in 2023.

Rafael Munger, a law fellow at the Manhattan Institute, commented on this trend, stating, “These results are by design.” He explained that Bragg’s viewpoint is that imprisonment should be a last resort and noted that he doesn’t pursue prison sentences for violations beyond 20 years.

The Manhattan DA’s data website has not been updated since October, now displaying a message about ongoing construction. It states that efforts are in place to enhance the reporting of data and to provide context on criminal justice trends over time.

A spokesperson for the DA mentioned that Bragg is in discussions with district attorneys from other boroughs regarding effective data presentation.

Initially, the website emphasized its goal of improving transparency in the criminal justice system, offering comprehensive data on prosecutions. However, some raised concerns about removing this resource, especially as the election year approaches. Munger highlighted that it seemed an inappropriate time to take this tool away from the public, wanting to ensure alignment with community expectations regarding the direction of the DA’s office.