Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been making headlines since taking office earlier this month, with his promises of sweeping criminal justice reforms. However, it seems that he is not alone in his mission to change the system from within.
Bragg's chief prosecutor, whose name has not been released to the public, recently spoke out against what they called a "racist" justice system. In an interview with a local news outlet, the prosecutor said that criminals are not "bad dudes," and that there is a need for more critical race theory in the criminal justice field.
The chief prosecutor has been spearheading efforts to incorporate critical race theory ideology into John Jay College of Criminal Justice's curriculum. Critical race theory is an academic concept that emphasizes the role of racism in shaping social structures and institutions.
"We need to acknowledge that our current justice system was built on racist principles," said the prosecutor. "It's time for us to start dismantling those systems and building something new."
Many have criticized these statements as being divisive or anti-law enforcement. However, supporters argue that acknowledging systemic racism is necessary if we hope to create a truly just society.
Bragg himself has yet to comment on his prosecutor's remarks. However, he ran on a platform of reforming New York City's criminal justice system and has already made several changes since taking office.
Only time will tell how successful these efforts will be at creating real change in Manhattan's legal landscape. But one thing is clear: there are those within Bragg's office who are committed to pushing back against what they see as unjust practices and systemic inequalities within our society.