How is the legal system like in NYC? Is it lenient or harsh on criminals?

Very vague question, but the short answer is yes, it is very harsh on all kinds of crime.

For instance I am pretty sure ANY handgun offense is an automatic 2 years in prison minimum.

Also, most graffiti related crimes are felonies.

The best answer to this question is this: Do not commit crimes and you will have no need to know how harsh it is.

How is the legal system like in NYC? Is it lenient or harsh on criminals?

lenient or harsh compared to what?
im from brooklyn...i never got bagged in nyc except once when i was 15 i stole a teacher phone and cameras had me on tape..cops caught me...long story short they let me go to my parents after the cops fucked me up in a empty classroom while i was handcuffed.(in nyc u wont get sent to jail if ur not 16 yet unless u did something serious like attempt murder.... i did get sent to the detention school as a day student for 2 weeks )..the sentences are ridicoulos ...and if u dont know anybody in the house(jail) u get sent to and ur not crip blood or with another gang ur done.. i was arrested in the next state for robbery and was in jail for 2 weeks.when i was there if u fought u got sent back to your room if u did something more serious they would have throwi u into a dark cell naked with other kids for one day..compared to ny if u fight in the jail there my friend was put in the box for 2 months for a fight ..if i had gotten bagged in nyc for the robbery i would have been in jail for 6-10 months guarantteed...they take there sweet time when it comes to trail.. everytime they set a court date for my cousin who was charged with robbery they wouldnt let him come out into the courtroom and they keep postponing the dates ..after he was released he told us they had him in the cells in the basement knwoing he had to up in the court and when he complained they take turns beating him .and if u dont do what they say when ur on rikers the 3 or 4 co's go into your cell at night and take turns fucking you up with them sticks n shit then fake reports about it... its foul

lenient or harsh compared to what?
im from brooklyn...i never got bagged in nyc except once when i was 15 i stole a teacher phone and cameras had me on tape..cops caught me...long story short they let me go to my parents after the cops fucked me up in a empty classroom while i was handcuffed.(in nyc u wont get sent to jail if ur not 16 yet unless u did something serious like attempt murder.... i did get sent to the detention school as a day student for 2 weeks )..the sentences are ridicoulos ...and if u dont know anybody in the house(jail) u get sent to and ur not crip blood or with another gang ur done.. i was arrested in the next state for robbery and was in jail for 2 weeks.when i was there if u fought u got sent back to your room if u did something more serious they would have throwi u into a dark cell naked with other kids for one day..compared to ny if u fight in the jail there my friend was put in the box for 2 months for a fight ..if i had gotten bagged in nyc for the robbery i would have been in jail for 6-10 months guarantteed...they take there sweet time when it comes to trail.. everytime they set a court date for my cousin who was charged with robbery they wouldnt let him come out into the courtroom and they keep postponing the dates ..after he was released he told us they had him in the cells in the basement knwoing he had to up in the court and when he complained they take turns beating him .and if u dont do what they say when ur on rikers the 3 or 4 co's go into your cell at night and take turns fucking you up with them sticks n shit then fake reports about it... its foul

Fucking paragraphs. Please.

The best answer to this question is this: Do not commit crimes and you will have no need to know how harsh it is.

He's actually got a good, if ridiculously vague question. What's in a crime, after all? I know that smoking marijuana is against the law, but is it really a "crime" in a more traditional sense? Does it infringe on others rights? Does it do any true harm, even to the user? Generally speaking, no. It could almost be argued that it's a morally actionable commitment to silently resisting the perceived tyranny in the justice system. It's a crime that's not really a crime, much as other things in New York may be. Whether it's said victimless crimes that he wishes to participate in or truly harmful acts, I cannot say. What I can say, however, is my own advice. So I say this:

The best answer to the question is this: Do not get caught committing crimes and you will have no need to know how harsh it is.

Do your own research. This question could be answered in less than five minutes on google.

He's actually got a good, if ridiculously vague question. What's in a crime, after all? I know that smoking marijuana is against the law, but is it really a "crime" in a more traditional sense? Does it infringe on others rights? Does it do any true harm, even to the user? Generally speaking, no. It could almost be argued that it's a morally actionable commitment to silently resisting the perceived tyranny in the justice system. It's a crime that's not really a crime, much as other things in New York may be. Whether it's said victimless crimes that he wishes to participate in or truly harmful acts, I cannot say. What I can say, however, is my own advice. So I say this:

The best answer to the question is this: Do not get caught committing crimes and you will have no need to know how harsh it is.

Somethings are illegal just because the very act is blatently immoral: Murder, Robbery, Rape, Carjacking, etc. This is "Malum Sae", which roughly translated to, "Illegal because it is unjust/immoral".

Then there is "Malum Prohibita", which means roughly, "Illegal because someone declared it so", like speeding, jaywalking, not paying taxes, etc...