By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced additional money 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.
The Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget 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. Queens DA Melinda Katz’s Office is getting an additional $1.75 million to hire 18 staff members, including assistant district attorneys, “to bolster expert forensic analysis and courtroom readiness.”
Photo Courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
Mayor Adams said that $633 million has been earmarked for the five district attorney attorneys’ offices.
“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 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.”
Katz added, “Properly funding the district attorneys’ offices is essential to keeping New Yorkers safe while advancing meaningful criminal justice reform. 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.”
