Before Iryna Zarutska, there were other victims on Decarlos Brown Jr.’s rap sheet.

The man charged with stabbing the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee to death on a Charlotte train last month had already been arrested at least 14 times in North Carolina for crimes ranging from assault and firearms possession to felony robbery and larceny dating back to 2007, the New York Post reported.

And yet he was out on the streets.

We’ve written about the progressive criminals-first slant that leaves victims on the sidelines watching perpetrators walk free or getting reduced sentences. How many assault victims sat in court, hoping Brown would pay for his alleged crimes?

This time, Brown was free on cashless bail after a magistrate released him with just a “written promise” to show up for court — despite his history of violence and mental illness.

President Donald Trump wants to put an end to this bail “reform,” announcing a new executive order. He directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to, within 30 days, compile a list of all jurisdictions that have implemented the policy. And he instructed other federal agencies to identify what grants and contracts can be suspended as a result, as Fox News reported.

“As President, I will require commonsense policies that protect Americans’ safety and well-being by incarcerating individuals who are known threats,” Trump wrote in the order.

Common sense continues to duke it out with liberal causes.

“The overall justification to move away from a money-bail system is basic fairness,” said Insha Rahman, the vice president of advocacy and partnerships at Vera Action, an advocacy group.

Fairness to whom, exactly?

Not to Iryna Zarutska, certainly.

And not to other victims of crime who live in fear after their assailants are set free with a “promise” to return to court.

But victims are too often an afterthought, dismissed as alleged assailants grab the lion’s share of concern.

In Brown’s case, it was Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles who stepped up.

“This is a tragic situation that sheds light on problems with society safety nets related to mental healthcare and the systems that should be in place,” Lyles wrote in a statement to WSOC-TV reporter Joe Bruno.

“We will never arrest our way out (of) issues such as homelessness and mental health,” Lyles added.

No, but we can arrest people who assault others.

And the “tragic situation” was the murder of an innocent young woman. Zarutska was the victim, and that should mean something.

Lyles backtracked, of course, after being called out for her clueless comments.

“As I reflect on the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska, my heart continues to go out to her family and our community as we try to make sense of this horrific and senseless loss,” she said in a social media post.

“This was a tragic failure by the courts and magistrates. Our police officers arrest people only to have them quickly released, which undermines our ability to protect our community and ensure safety,” she wrote.

It may have taken public outcry, but Lyles did eventually get the point. Criminals are not victims, and communities need to be kept safe.

If only other liberal leaders would follow her lead.

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