Indeed, what many people miss about the early-1990s “tough on crime” era in New York City is that it wasn’t an era of mass incarceration. Look at the ’90s Rodriguez was arrested 37 times last year at a Jackson Heights Walgreens. What broke the cycle? Not an “alternative to incarceration.” Incarceration. With the cycle he got himself into now broken - doing the immediate “work” of stealing for the immediate “reward” of getting high - he wants to think longer term. Now that he does face such a punishment, he wants to change that behavior so that he doesn’t face such punishment again. Rodriguez stole, over and over again, because he perceived - correctly - that there was no punishment for such behavior. Good for him, and good luck to him - and let’s hope the city does give him the help he needs to achieve this goal.īut how did Rodriguez change his attitude? The carrot may work for some people - but many of us also need the stick. Now, Rodriguez wants to get his GED and progress from there. ‘Man of Steal’ speaks: thief with 46 arrests exploited city’s fears - and jail might save his life

AP/Seth WenigĪ reasonable prediction, considering that New York City suffered 1,233 overdoses during the first two quarters of last year (the latest data available), up 80% from pre-pandemic levels and the highest number on record. He told The Post that “I would’ve died sooner or later” if he “was still out there.” Isaac Rodriguez is serving his sentence at Rikers Island. Now, he’s finally at Rikers, serving a sentence until the end of the year for shoplifting at a different drugstore that had taken out a restraining order against him. He stole high-value goods to resell, to feed his drug habit. Nope: As he forthrightly notes, shoplifting was his job. Was Rodriguez newly destitute because he lost his job in the pandemic and desperate for bread? Last year, police arrested Rodriguez 46 times for shoplifting, including 37 times at a Jackson Heights Walgreens.

Jordan Neely matters - but where were progressives when 27 others were killed on the subway?įor all the patronizing attitude toward New York’s low-level criminals on the part of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his supporters - that thieves and burglars bear no responsibility for their own behavior because they “need help” - not all criminals are mentally ill or irrational in the choices they make.Įxhibit A is Isaac Rodriguez, The Post’s “Man of Steal.” Like most of us, Rodriguez, 23, is a mostly rational person: When the reward or punishment for his behavior changes, he’ll change his behavior accordingly.

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