Archinect - News 2024-11-21T16:05:19-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/149444909/cheers-manhattan-decriminalizes-public-drinking-urination Cheers! Manhattan decriminalizes public drinking, urination Nicholas Korody 2016-03-02T18:45:00-05:00 >2018-01-30T06:16:04-05:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/yf/yfaui818fw0coxne.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Beginning on Monday, March 7, 2016, the Manhattan District Attorney&rsquo;s Office will no longer prosecute most violations or infractions, and the NYPD will no longer arrest individuals who commit these offenses &ndash; such as littering, public consumption of alcohol, or taking up two seats on the subway &ndash; unless there is a demonstrated public safety reason to do so. This initiative will enable the NYPD to devote its resources to investigating serious crimes...</p></em><br /><br /><p>New Yorkers rejoice! A new initiative announced by the Manhattan District Attorney, the NYPD Commissioner and the Mayor means that you're now less likely to get arrested for sipping on a tallboy on your way back from a bodega.</p><p>While you still may get a summons and have to pay a fine, the announcement suggests you may just find yourself with a warning. Either way, this is good news &ndash; particularly for people of color, as about <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/minor-offenses-manhattan-no-longer-result-arrests-article-1.2549474" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">81%</a> of quality-of-life violations given in NYC between 2001 and 2013 were to African American or Hispanic individuals.</p><p>The changes also mean it's less likely for you to get arrested for urinating in public. As any visitor to Manhattan knows, a good public bathroom is hard to find.</p><p>For more New York news, check out other Archinect coverage:</p><ul><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/147905808/nypd-admits-to-using-stringrays-military-tech-that-sweeps-up-cell-data" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NYPD admits to using "Stringrays," military tech that sweeps up cell data</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/147663869/big-s-concept-for-a-spiraling-landscape-tower-in-nyc-s-hudson-yards" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BIG's concept for a spiraling-landscape tower in NYC's Hudson Yards</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/147446387/crane-collapses-in-manhattan-one-dead-and-two-seriously-injured" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Crane collapses in Manhattan, one dead and two seriously injured</a></li><li><a href="http://archinect.com/news/article/147347495/hyperloop-but-for-new-york-city-s-trash" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hyperloop, but for New Yor...</a></li></ul>