Last September, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello declared that New York’s justice system is broken. He stated, “in the last 30 days, 35 people who were arrested for gun-related crimes were released from jail due to bail reform.” Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter has also cited bail reform as a major factor in the surge of homicides in Rochester. However, Baxter shamefully pandered to the far left by claiming that systemic racism, poverty, and Covid-19 also contributed to a rise in homicides. Claims that are very easily disproven.
New York enacted a “Bail Reform” law in 2019. It was largely promoted as an effort to reduce the number of Black suspects being held in custody. The purpose of bail reform was to make it harder to keep suspects in custody while they await trial.
Across New York, city’s have seen a rise in homicides since bail reform. However, Rochester, NY, which is in Monroe County, has seen a dramatic explosion of homicides. This is being primarily driven by Black on Black homicides.
Rochester Homicides:
1993: 70 (230k, 30.4 per 100k) – Former all time record for homicide total and rate
2017: 28, (207k, 13.5 per 100k)
2018: 28 (206k, 13.6 per 100k)
2019: 32 (206k, 15.5 per 100k)
2020: 51 (211k, 24.2 per 100k)
2021: 84 (211k, 39.8 per 100k) – New record for highest homicide total and rate
2022: 75 so far… (34 are still open)
Note: The Rochester police department has published rates that are slightly different, because they just use a population of 206k for every single year, regardless of actual changes in population.
According to data reported to the FBI by the Rochester Police Department:
According to the Rochester police department, 80.11% of people arrested for homicide are Black. However, they don’t say what time period this covers.
In data submitted to the FBI, the number of known suspects who are Black is usually higher than this. However, the data they have sent also looks very incomplete. In 2021, the Rochester Police Department ceased sending data to the FBI at all.
Rochester is roughly 40% Black.
