Judge Judy Sheindlin says she knows "how we got here" as major cities are now engulfed in crime. Sheindlin pinpoints "ridiculous" policies that she says punish victims, and criticizes wayward DAs amid violent crime in major U.S. cities.
Judge Judy Sheindlin, the celebrated television judge, has spoken out about the alarming rise in crime in major American cities, pinpointing "ridiculous" policies and wayward district attorneys as contributing factors to the crisis.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Sheindlin expressed her deep concern over the state of crime in cities such as New York City, Portland, and San Francisco. She believes that a small group of vocal individuals have created a flawed system where criminals are rewarded and victims are punished.
She cited the case of Steve Buscemi, the renowned actor who was recently assaulted in broad daylight in Manhattan. Sheindlin emphasized that such brazen attacks are not surprising, given the current climate of lawlessness.
According to the New York Police Department, crime in the New York transit system surged by roughly 7% in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Felony assaults decreased slightly, but misdemeanor assaults jumped by 7% in the same timeframe.
Sheindlin acknowledged that there may be underlying reasons for criminal behavior, but she stressed that those backgrounds do not justify wrongdoing. "There is never an excuse for bad behavior," she asserted.
She believes that society's inclination to make excuses for criminals and respond to criminality based on those excuses has led to a breakdown in law and order. She argues that victims are treated as less important than perpetrators.
Sheindlin's criticism extended to district attorneys who she believes are not fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure justice and maintain public safety. "When you have district attorneys who don't know what their job is, they should go find another job," she said. "Fill ice cream cones someplace. But don't ruin cities."
She cited New York's Raise the Age legislation of 2019, which raised the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 18, as a prime example of misguided policy. She believes that allowing violent criminals under the age of 18 to escape severe consequences endangers society.
"If you have a mother who's 65 years old who's walking to the grocery store and some crazy for no reason hits her over the head with a steel pipe and kills her, and they're 17, that person should never be allowed to walk the street again," she said.
Despite the challenges, Sheindlin remains optimistic that society can turn things around. "I think we better get smarter before we get lost," she said. "Permanently lost."
Sheindlin, who has spent decades adjudicating cases on television, is now in her third season of "Judy Justice" on Amazon Freevee. She describes the show as more enjoyable because it allows her to handle cases that are more substantial and important.
When asked if she still has faith in society, Sheindlin replied, "I have to." However, she noted that the problems society faces today are far more severe than they were just a few decades ago.
"A lot worse," she mused. "And that's what happened. And here we are, 30 years later, and are we in a worse shape as a country, as a world, than we were in 1993? You bet your bottom we are."
