504 Democratic Club: Questionnaires (Candidate for District Attorney Charles J. Hynes's 2009 response)

Candidate Name: Charles J. Hynes

Contact Person: Morty Matz

If there is a Campaign office, is it wheelchair accessible? Yes.

Campaign Address: 321 Broadway, New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212-608-4342
Fax: 212-406-1495
Address:
Email: contact @ charlesjhynes.com
Website: charlesjhynes.com

Endorsements: (Political, Community & Labor)

While I anticipate receiving many endorsements from community, labor, and political organizations, I have currently been endorsed by the following:

UFCW Locals 342 & 1500
CWA Locals 1109 & 1182
Local 638- Steamfitters
DC 37 Local 983
NYS Assemblyman Felix Ortiz
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz
Congressman Michael McMahon
Uniformed Sanitationmen's Union
NY State Senator Eric Adams
NY State Senator Velmanette Montgomery
NYC Councilmember Vincent Gentile
NYS Assemblywoman Janele Hyer-Spencer
NYS Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny
Kings County Democratic Committee

Action Shows Commitment!
1. While in public office/or private life prior to this campaign, what have you accomplished in regard to advancing disability rights? This can include work towards accessible housing, transportation, employment, health care, education, and including people with disabilities in the judicial and political process?
  
  I am especially proud of creating the Family Justice Center which also specializes in assisting disabled persons who are victimized by domestic violence. With regard to advancing the employment of disabled persons, I have throughout my tenure as District Attorney hired a number of physically challenged individuals including a wheel chair bound Assistant District Attorney who I successfully recommended for a judgeship in New York City Criminal Court.
2. Historically, the courthouses in which you work and offices of staff of District Attorneys are not all accessible to people with all kinds of disabilities. How have you addressed this issue to date? What is your strategy for implementation of complete accessibility? Please be specific as to time and dates.
  
  The courthouses and my offices are all accessible for persons of all kinds of disabilities.
3. What implementation strategy do you have for your future programs and legislation to help constituents with disabilities?
  
  I support appropriate legislation that promotes the rights of the disabled.
4. Will you commit to only attend or sponsor events that are accessible to people with disabilities?
  
  Although I am in favor of attending or sponsoring events that are accessible to people with disabilities, as District Attorney my presence is sometimes required at locations that are inaccessible to the disabled.
General Questions
1. What personal and professional experience have you had with people with disabilities in your personal life and in the workplace?
  
  As previously indicated in question 2 (b), I proudly recommended one of my assistants to the judiciary who was subsequently appointed to the position of Criminal Court Judge.
2. What special accommodations do you believe/think are needed in the workplace/courtroom? Have you hired/will you hire persons with disabilities at all levels of responsibility in your office? Please list. Titles or types of position people with disabilities? Will you make this a policy of your office?
  
  I believe that all courtrooms and workplaces should be accessible to people with disabilities. I have and will always continue to hire persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities in my office have risen to the most senior position of Bureau Chief. Promoting persons with disabilities is a policy of my office provided they are qualified for the position in question.
3. Are you willing to hire and use flex-time and job-sharing for people with disabilities? Will you make this a police of your office?
  
  Yes. I already have a flex-time policy in place.
4. How do you propose your active involvement/availability to the disability community? Will there be a specific person in your office responsible to this community? Will have regular office agenda items and meetings on disabled community issues? Do you/or will you, have an active Disability Advisory Committee? Explain its duties, responsibilities and powers.
  
  I have an "open-door" policy with all the communities of Brooklyn. My office has and will always be accessible to the disability community.
5. Has a person with a disability appeared in court as a defendant, juror or litigant? If so, please indicate what, if any, problems arose? And how were they handled?
  
  N/A.
6. Do you believe that a person who is deaf / hard of hearing or one who is blind / has low vision can serve as a juror?
  
  While I do not oppose individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/low vision from serving as a juror, juror qualifications are solely determined by the trial judge.
7. What is your position on making marijuana available for medical purposes?
  
  I am not opposed.
8. Do you believe that defendants with mental disabilities should be treated in a different manner than others? If so, how? If not, why not?
  
  The Mental Health Court which deals with defendants with disabilities that I established is the first of its kind in the State of New York.
Civil Rights

Has/will your office prosecute personal care attendants who abuse their charges (disabled/ seniors)? Please cite case, and provide any advice on how to successfully prosecute these cases?

Where evidence of abuse is discovered, I would prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.

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For other candidates running for District Attorney positions, go to the Questionnaires section