Mayor Adams Announces Increased Funding for Five District Attorneys’ Offices, Raising Budgets to $633 Million to Deliver Smarter, Faster, Fairer Justice

August 6, 2025

Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1CNFaya2QU

23 Percent Increase Under Adams Administration Will Fund New ADAs, Restorative Justice, Youth Programming, Cybercrime Expansion, and More

Investment Part of Mayor Adams’ “Best Budget Ever,” Which Invests in Affordability, Public Safety, and Quality-of-Life Issues New Yorkers Care Most About

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced additional funding for the offices of the city’s five district attorneys and the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, bringing funding to a total of $633 million — a 23 percent increase in the current fiscal year compared to when the Adams administration came into office. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Adopted Budget — which builds on the “Best Budget Ever” — also includes more than $17 million in new investments to expand prosecutorial capacity, strengthen diversion programs, and support tailored public safety initiatives in each borough. More specifically, these investments will allow District Attorney Offices to hire dozens of additional assistant district attorneys (ADAs), build out restorative justice and youth-focused programming, and launch or expand units targeting cybercrime, domestic violence, and forensic analysis.

“Justice delayed is justice denied — and that’s why our administration is investing in a system that delivers public safety quickly, fairly, and effectively,” said Mayor Adams. “Since day one, we’ve said public safety and justice are the prerequisites to prosperity, and that continues to stand true today. This means giving our city’s district attorneys the resources they need to protect both — from cutting case backlogs to expanding diversion initiatives to standing up new programs that keep our communities safe. By increasing their budgets to a total of $633 million annually, we are giving our local prosecutors their largest budgets ever, as we continue to invest — borough by borough, program by program, and investment by investment — in building a safer, fairer city for all.”

Borough-by Borough Highlights from the “Best Budget Ever”:

Bronx (Bronx County) – $6.08 million:

• 24 additional ADAs and two paralegals to increase case-processing capacity. 
• Launch of new Youth Justice Bureau to better prosecute youth cases and provide tailored services to reduce future violence. 
• Support for the opening of the South Bronx Community Justice Cetner, a new hub for community-based justice programming. 

Brooklyn (Kings County) – $5.6 million:

• 20 additional ADAs and six paralegals to reduce case backlogs and support discovery compliance. 
• Continued funding for restorative justice programming aimed at engaging young involved in gang violence. 
• Technology upgrades to improve data management and operational efficiency. 

Manhattan (New York County) – $2.98 million:

• 10 additional experienced mid-level ADAs to handle complex cases. 
• Nine additional paralegals and discovery specialists to assist with early case assessments. 
• Five additional re-entry and diversion staff members to expand access to problem-solving courts. 
• Eight additional security guards to enhance office safety. 

Queens (Queens County) – $1.75 million:

• 18 additional staff members, including ADAs and investigators, to bolster expert forensic analysis and courtroom readiness. 

Staten Island (Richmond County) – $970,000:

• Creation of a dedicated Intimate Partner Violence Unit to handle specific domestic violence cases and provide early victim engagement to prevent further harm. The unit will include an ADA, victim advocates, and a unit chief.  
• An additional analyst, paralegal, unit chief, and two ADAs — along with new technology — to expand the office’s Cybercrimes Unit to better protect New Yorkers from online crime.  

“This significant new funding is critical to keeping Manhattanites safe,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. “These additional resources will boost our ability to recruit and retain prosecutors, bring cases quickly and efficiently, and connect more people to services that can address recidivism and drive down crime further. I am grateful to Mayor Adams and the City Council for their commitment to investing in a holistic approach to public safety and look forward to continued collaboration and partnership.”

“In March, I testified to the City Council that I am fighting for the soul of the Bronx,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark. “With this investment of $6 million, Mayor Adams and the Council are saying they are joining me in the battle. These funds will go toward more ADAs to resolve cases and to staff our Youth Justice Bureau, which will more effectively address youth gang violence that plagues the Bronx. The funds also will go toward making a long-sought South Bronx Community Justice Center a reality. I appreciate the financial support, and, as always, your support of the people of the Bronx.”

“We have made historic progress driving down crime across Brooklyn, with shootings reaching the lowest levels on record,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. “That success reflects strong collaboration with law enforcement, focused efforts to prevent violence before it happens, and a commitment to building real safety in every neighborhood. This budget helps us continue that work by expanding Project Restore, our proven restorative justice program that has disrupted cycles of trauma, retaliation, and gang involvement, and by funding additional staff to fill critically needed roles in our office. I thank Mayor Adams and the City Council for their support in building a safer, more just Brooklyn.”

“Properly funding the district attorneys’ offices is essential to keeping New Yorkers safe while advancing meaningful criminal justice reform,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. “I thank the mayor for the city’s ongoing investments in local prosecutors. With continued support, my office will keep building a stronger, more effective system that serves every community in Queens and beyond.”

“As Staten Island's chief law enforcement officer, it is my responsibility not only to prosecute dangerous criminals in the courtroom but to ensure that the men and women of my office have the technology, people power, and funding necessary to effectively combat and prevent crime,” said Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon. “And while we have made tremendous strides in reducing violent crime here on Staten Island in recent years, domestic violence and cybercrime remain significant drivers of crime in our borough, shattering families and robbing hard-working Staten Islanders of their hard-earned savings in the blink of an eye. I am incredibly proud to share that the city's Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget represents a remarkable investment in district attorneys' offices across the five boroughs, including nearly $1 million in direct funding to my office to support the creation and proper staffing of a dedicated Intimate Partner Sexual Assault Unit and RCDA's Cybercrimes Unit. Because of this vital funding, RCDA will receive an influx of new technology and funding for nearly a dozen new personnel members, including unit chiefs, ADAs, and support staff to provide early victim engagement to survivors, better protect our neighbors and loved ones from falling victim to pernicious scams, and strengthen my office's ability to hold abusers and fraudsters alike more accountable in the courtroom. I am grateful to Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Council, particularly our Staten Island delegation, for this essential investment in public safety and look forward to working with our partners in government to ensure Staten Island remains the safest community of its size in the country.”

This latest round of funding builds on past initiatives like Project Restore, which supports programming to address gun violence, housing insecurity, and other drivers of crime. It also reflects a shared commitment between the administration and the City Council to invest in smarter, more effective justice citywide.

This investment also complements the New York City Police Department’s targeted investigations into violent gangs, which have already resulted in 48 gang takedowns year-to-date, leading to the arrests of 347 gang members and associates, as well as the seizure of 236 firearms. These efforts are matched by long-haul, data-driven prosecutions by the city’s five district attorneys, directly contributing to fewer illegal guns on city streets and safer communities across the five boroughs.

As a result of the Adams administration’s relentless focus on public safety, from January 2025 through July 2025, New York City experienced the lowest number of shooting incidents and shooting victims in recorded history. These historic numbers have helped drive down major crime categories into the seventh consecutive quarter, with a 5.6 percent drop in July 2025 compared to the same month last year. Overall index crime across New York City is down 5 percent year-to-date — with reductions in homicides, robberies, burglaries, felony assaults, grand larcenies, vehicle theft, shootings, transit crime, housing crime, retail theft, hate crimes, and more. These significant declines resulted in 3,602 fewer victims of major crime in New York City so far this year, compared to the same period last year. The record-low crime statistics build on the Adams administration’s work to remove more than 22,900 illegal guns from New York City streets since taking office, including more than 3,100 illegal firearms removed year-to-date.

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