According to statistics collected by the courts, more than a third of all criminal defendants on Long Island are Black men. However, there are only two Black male assistant district attorneys for all of Long Island.

Demographic data obtained through interviews and freedom of information requests reveals that Long Island’s justice system is overwhelmingly white prosecutors trying Black men.

Nassau and its neighbor to the east, Suffolk, are the two most populous counties in the state outside of New York City, with over 7 million residents. About 10% of residents on Long Island are Black, yet only 6% of prosecutors for Nassau County are Black. In Suffolk, it’s only 3%.