In a bold move that is raising eyebrows across New York City, Brooklyn’s far-left politician Crystal Hudson is once again championing a controversial piece of legislation. This time, her efforts are backed by the leadership of socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s mayor. Hudson’s proposal aims to provide “young people” with a pathway to avoid arrest for certain crimes, instead guiding them towards community support services.
Reintroduced on January 29 for its third attempt, Hudson’s legislation seeks to mandate that young offenders be directed to community organizations rather than facing criminal charges. These organizations would offer services in place of traditional legal enforcement. However, the bill remains vague, lacking specific definitions for who qualifies as “young” and which crimes would be eligible for such diversion.
The bill also leaves much to the imagination regarding the nature of these community organizations. The only hint provided is that they would likely be nonprofits connected to specific communities or trade unions offering apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship programs.
New York City, alongside cities like Los Angeles and Miami, already employs programs aimed at steering youth away from incarceration and towards community-based interventions to reduce repeat offenses. Hudson’s proposal seeks to solidify this approach into law, making it a permanent fixture in the city’s handling of youth crime.
Despite its ambitious goals, the legislation has struggled to gain traction in previous sessions. During the 2022-23 and 2024-2025 Council sessions, the bill garnered only 11 and 7 co-sponsors, respectively, and failed to advance to a full Council vote.
Hudson’s bill was previously introduced during the 2022-23 and 2024-2025 Council sessions, attracting only 11 and seven co-sponsors, respectively, and failing to reach the full Council for a vote.
The current version has five co-sponsors so far. Twenty-six are needed for passage and 34 to make it veto-proof.
But with comrade Mamdani — whose soft-on-crime tactics since taken office include dropping plans to increase the Police Department’s ranks by 5,000 officers — at Gracie Mansion, Hudson’s best shot could be now.
“She has a listening ear with a mayor who would like to see nobody put in jail,” said Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Queens).
“In the past, not only was there no appetite for this kind of thing on the Council, but if it did pass, it would likely get vetoed. Councilmember Hudson is betting on that not happening with this administration – and that is a good bet.”
“This is much too vague as written,” Ariola added. “We need a clear definition of what a ‘young person’ is. Nobody wants to see ten-year-olds in jail, but we also don’t want violent 17-year-old offenders skirting justice either.”
The radical left has pushed the kid gloves treatment before in New York — with disastrous results. The Raise the Age law, which took effect in 2019, increased the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18. That’s meant the vast majority of 16- and 17-year-old offenders are routed to Family Court –where they typically avoid jail and prison.
Youth violence across New York City hit historic highs during 2025, with staggering numbers of shooters and shooting victims falling under the age of 18.
Last year, 14% of shooting victims and 18% of shooters were youths – the highest numbers since the NYPD began tracking the incidents in 2018, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in January.
In the latest example of youth violence in the Big Apple, four people – Thomas Tyler, 23, and three 17-year-old boys – were arrested Tuesday for allegedly shooting an innocent bystander in the leg during what is believed to be a gang-related incident, police said. The 23-year-old woman was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The NYPD has begun using a new tactic to attack crime in zones where teens travel.
“Last fall, the department implemented Youth Safety Zones, modeled after Violence Reduction Zones, to proactively address youth violence,” an NYPD spokesperson said in a statement.
“These zones focus on the places where young people are most at risk: commuter corridors, bus stops, and the routes students take to and from school.”
The NYPD has driven down major crime by 56% and shooting incidents by 71% in the zones, the agency said. The NYPD didn’t provide corresponding numbers or up-to-date citywide percentages.
“While these decreases are significant, the NYPD remains dedicated to reducing juvenile crime and keeping our youth safe,” the spokesperson said.
Mamdani spokesman Sam Raskin said the Mayor’s Office “look[s] forward to reviewing this legislation and discussing it with the City Council.”
However, the biggest obstacle Hudson could face in getting the bill to advance for a vote is City Council Speaker Julie Menin. The Manhattan Democrat didn’t co-sponsor any of the earlier versions.
A Menin spokesperson said the bill “will go through the legislative process where it will receive feedback and engagement” but declined further comment.
Hudson told The Post she’ll work with The NYPD if the bill “advances” to “add additional specifics and ensure” it meets the “intended goal.”
“This approach allows officers to divert young people to appropriate community-based organizations in lieu of criminal enforcement, creating a pathway to support before deeper system involvement occurs.”
Hudson — who reps Fort Greene, Prospect Heights and other parts of central Brooklyn — has pushed series of lefty causes since taking office in 2022 through her “Black Agenda for New for New York City” and “Age in Place NYC” initiatives — including dismantling the jail system, better ensuring racial and gender equity and universalizing healthcare and other social services.
Her proposals include a now-stalled bill that would help transgender jailbirds and correction officers in NYC score wigs, hair extensions, chest binders, and other “gender-affirming items and medical devices.”
Councilman Phil Wong (D-Queens) questioned whether the Hudson’s latest legislation would “blur accountability or feel like decriminalizing behavior.”
“This bill risks putting officers in the position of acting like judge and jury on the street, when their job is to enforce the law and keep our neighborhoods safe,” the councilman said.
