Write a commentToday, the Assembly and Senate Republican Conferences highlighted the need for action on involuntary commitment following a brutal attack in Brooklyn that left four young girls seriously wounded.
Earlier this week, police received a call from the 11-year-old victim, who reported that she and her siblings had been stabbed by their uncle, a man with a history of mental health issues. Fortunately, all four girls are expected to survive.
This is just one recent example of the need to expand involuntary mental health commitments. Gov. Hochul has included an expansion of the commitment standard in her proposed budget. However no agreement has been reached with legislative majorities. For years, New York's subway system has been plagued by disproportionate amounts of violent crime, with untreated individuals posing a risk to themselves and the public. A 2023 study found that 80% of the individuals with the highest number of subway arrests had mental health problems.
"How many tragedies is it going to take before Democrats stop blocking the path toward improved public safety? The horrific attack in Brooklyn needs to be a wake-up call that more needs to be done, and now is the time," said Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski). "Albany liberals refuse to accept the reality that dangerous individuals should be taken off our streets. It's mind-boggling that with the amount of violence we've seen, this is still a budget item under negotiation. Since 2019, every Democratic criminal justice policy disguised as 'reform' has been a failure. Their reluctance to change the involuntary commitment statute shows they still haven't learned from their mistakes." In another troubling example, a man in Manhattan, reportedly struggling with mental illness, randomly attacked two women with a glass bottle on Monday, leaving one critically injured. The first victim was struck in the back but managed to flee without serious injury. The attacker then grabbed a shard of broken glass and used it to stab a 25-year-old woman in the neck. She remains in critical condition.
"This brutal attack should have never happened. Four innocent young girls are in the hospital fighting to recover, and the warning signs were there. We need to take mental health threats seriously before they turn into tragedies like this incident. Our system failed these children, and my thoughts are with the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time," said Assemblyman Lester Chang (R,C-Brooklyn). "This tragic example relays the urgent need to address mental health issues within our community and ensure that individuals receive the necessary support and treatment they need. We must work together in the Legislature to improve our mental health care system and prevent events such as this one. This is why I fully support the effort to strengthen our state's mental health commitment laws."
"If my Democratic colleagues need a reason to support involuntary commitment, they need look no further than this heinous attack on four innocent children in Brooklyn. Every day, more and more violent crime is occurring—stabbings, people being pushed in front of trains or burned alive on the subway—and more often than not, the perpetrators are suffering from mental illness. We cannot afford to wait any longer—we must reverse this dangerous trend in order to protect vulnerable individuals and ensure public safety in our communities," said Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt (R,C-North Tonawanda).
"Mental illness affects all communities and must be addressed. Thank heavens no lives have been lost at this point in this heinous crime, and I want to commend the brave girl who called 911 as well as the NYPD for their quick response—there is no doubt they saved lives. There is no better representation of why it's critical that involuntary commitment be included in this year's budget. This is not political; this is common sense. How many more horror stories is it going to take to protect our neighborhoods?" said Sen. Steve Chan (R-17th Senate District).
