D.A. UNDER FIRE as Conviction Rates Plunge!

As Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg faces mounting criticism, his decision to pull the office’s public data dashboard comes at a moment when conviction rates are in freefall and debate over criminal justice reform is hitting fever pitch.

At a Glance

• Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s felony conviction rate has dropped from 64% in 2019 to 35% in 2024.
• The DA’s office removed its public data dashboard in October 2024, raising transparency concerns.
• Violent crime in Manhattan fell sharply, with homicides down 46% and shootings down 43% in early 2025.
• Over two-thirds of 2024 convictions were downgraded to misdemeanors or non-criminal violations.
• Critics say declining conviction rates threaten public safety and erode accountability.

Conviction Rates Slide and Data Goes Dark

Since taking office in 2022, Alvin Bragg has presided over a dramatic shift in Manhattan’s prosecutorial strategy. His administration’s hallmark has been a move away from incarceration and toward alternatives such as diversion, treatment, and community supervision for a wide range of offenses. The impact on felony conviction rates is stark: after holding steady at 64% in 2019, conviction rates fell to 42% in 2021, 40% in 2022, 37% in 2023, and then tumbled to a mere 35% by the end of 2024. Analysts and former prosecutors describe this as an unprecedented drop for one of the nation’s most influential DA’s offices.

Amid this downward trend, Bragg’s office abruptly removed its public data dashboard in late 2024. Officials claimed the removal was a temporary step to “improve data clarity and reporting,” but critics saw it as a thinly veiled retreat from public accountability.

Transparency watchdogs, legal analysts, and community leaders warn that without access to timely and reliable prosecution data, it’s nearly impossible to measure the real impact of Bragg’s reforms or assess whether justice is being served.

Watch a report: D.A. Bragg remarks on recent sentencings

Transparency and Trust Under Threat

The dashboard’s disappearance immediately ignited controversy. For years, the tool had allowed journalists, watchdogs, and concerned citizens to track trends in charging decisions, plea deals, and sentencing outcomes. Its removal, coming just as conviction rates hit a new low, has fueled speculation that the DA’s office is trying to hide unfavorable trends rather than address them.

Critics argue that declining conviction rates, coupled with the fact that 66% of 2024’s convictions were downgraded from felonies to misdemeanors or violations, point to an office increasingly reluctant to pursue the toughest charges. Some warn that this pattern may be emboldening repeat offenders and undermining public safety, even as official crime numbers reflect progress in other areas. Bragg’s supporters, meanwhile, argue that diversion and community programs are contributing to the notable drop in homicides and shootings—evidence, they say, that a new approach can work.

The Politics of Justice Reform

As one of the most prominent district attorneys in the nation, Bragg’s moves have national implications. Observers note that district attorneys from coast to coast are watching New York closely as they weigh their own reform agendas. Opponents warn that a continued slide in conviction rates—paired with a lack of data transparency—could serve as a cautionary tale, discouraging similar reforms elsewhere.

The stakes are high as the next election cycle approaches. Voters will have to decide whether Bragg’s philosophy of prosecution, built on reduced incarceration and a new “comprehensive approach,” is producing safer streets or simply eroding the credibility of the city’s justice system. The debate over public safety, accountability, and transparency is certain to shape both the future of Manhattan and the broader national conversation on criminal justice.