‘Reform the reform': Sheriff Baxter urges new laws to fix criminal justice, repeat offenders ‘chaos'

Yahoo

15-05-2025

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — After several crimes across Monroe County in the past few months involving people who have been previously charged, News 8 sat down with Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter about changes he feels need to be made at the state level.
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Sheriff Baxter said there have been six massive reforms within the criminal justice systems within the past few years that has forced a lot of 'difficult change.' He said the reforms now make it harder to hold repeat offenders inside jails long enough to try and see why someone continues to commit crimes and wants to see more effective laws in place.
Sheriff Baxter said with the massive reforms so close together, it can cause chaos in the criminal justice system. He told News 8 prosecutors, public defenders, and judges don't grasp the quick changes of reforms all the time, making it easier for those committing crime after crime.
'One [law] that I've been pushing for is bail reform. Bail reform needed to occur in New York state. Just like any other project you do once you do it, go back and see what you could do better. No perfect plan has ever been created,' Baxter said.
And Sheriff Baxter has made that known. After 35-year-old Ruben Smith, known for prior felonies, was charged after police said he shot a 9-year-old inside a Henrietta gas station, Sheriff Baxter took to his podcast to explain why New York needs a clear standard for 'dangerous and repeat offenders.'
He reiterated that message with News 8 this week.
'If you're just out there committing crime after crime you should go sit down. My father called it a timeout,' Sheriff Baxter said. 'Go take a timeout until we find out why you keep repeating those crimes. Intervene in that person's life and then get them out of jail as soon as possible. But at least do something.'
Baxter also recounted a testimony given by a woman a few days ago after she called 911.
'She said, My boyfriend is on the way over and is going to burn down my house. He beat the deputy there and burned down the house,'' Sheriff Baxter said. 'Burned it down at the 3-year-old's bedroom window. Started the fire right there. We didn't get there in time but we did make the apprehension. We had to give him an appearance ticket. By New York State law, we had to give him an appearance ticket.'
Because of New York's current laws, Baxter said he and many others are pushing the state for 'common sense adjustments to bail reform.'
Alongside State Senator Pam Helming, the two have introduced the PROTECT Act, seeking to hold offenders accountable through a detailed risk assessment, which includes mental health evaluations.
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'Give us a standard that's really defined so judges can use it as an evaluation,' Sheriff Baxter said.
Others who pushed for bail reform are also calling for reforms to the reform, Keelar Park Tenants Association President Luvene Ford said she cares because she feels people 'shouldn't have to worry about being home before dark because they're afraid to walk through the parking lot.'
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