New York revisited: Examining a decade of change in prosecution and racial disparities in Manhattan

• In Event: Prosecutorial Reform in Times of Tense Politics and Community Engagement

Abstract

In 2014, a landmark report on race and prosecution found notable but varied disparities in New York County (Manhattan), New York. This work represented a pivotal step forward in the movement to open the “black box” of prosecutorial discretion and data. However, much has changed, both in Manhattan and in the field of prosecution, since that time. In this study, we consider major changes to policy and practice in New York County prosecution in the past decade and re-evaluate racial and ethnic disparities across prosecutorial decisions. Using data on cases resolved by the District Attorney of New York County between 2014 and 2023, we examine group differences in prosecutor-driven outcomes ranging from the initial screening decision through to sentencing after plea deals. Findings suggest meaningful changes in loci and patterns of disparity that can often be tied to shifts in policy and practice. These findings highlight the importance of considering how prosecution has evolved over time, and contextualizing modern analyses of prosecutorial decision making with operational features of the office(s) under study.

Author

• Rebecca Dunlea, University of Massachusetts Lowell