Ending Unnecessary Traffic Stops That Can Kill
DEC. 20, 2021 – In 2020, over 10 percent of police killings began with a traffic stop. In an effort to prevent these opportunities for fatal interactions with police and address the racial disparities inherent in traffic stops, some reform-minded prosecutors are declining to prosecute cases that stem from non-public safety stops. In an op-ed in The Crime Report, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and former Albany, NY Police Chief Brendan Cox discuss why these changes are necessary and why more prosecutors, law enforcement leaders, and legislators should get on board.
“All the evidence shows that the dangers of these traffic stops – including exacerbating troubling racial disparities – significantly outweigh any potential benefit to public safety.”
How (Some) Prosecutors Changed the Face of Justice in 2021
DEC. 7, 2021 – Reform-minded prosecutors represent around 20 percent of Americans, and the strength of this movement grows with each election cycle as voters increasingly realize that the outdated policies of mass incarceration have deepened racial inequality, placed enormous burdens on taxpayers, and failed to keep communities safe. In an op-ed in The Crime Report, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky describes how reform-minded prosecutors elected in 2020 have made their mark in their first year in office and calls on President Biden to create a Task Force on 21st Century Prosecution to solidify, support, and expand on this success.
“More and more voters in communities large and small, rural and urban, blue and red across the nation are electing a new generation of leaders delivering evidence-based reforms that promote public safety and acknowledge racial disparities.”
George Gascón’s policies are based in science and backed by voters
NOV. 22, 2021 – After years of failed “tough-on-crime” policies in Los Angeles that put more people behind bars without making communities any safer, voters called for change by electing District Attorney George Gascón in 2020. Since taking office, DA Gascón has pursued reforms that undo the injustices of mass incarceration while promoting public safety and advocating for victims of violent crime, but he has also faced relentless pushback. In this Los Angeles Daily News op-ed, former Los Angeles District Attorneys Gil Garcetti and Ira Reiner and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss why DA Gascón’s evidence-based policies are backed by voters as well as many victims of crime and call on those who have undermined him to instead embrace these proven reforms.
“Gascón’s policies on kids in the justice system, sentencing enhancements, the death penalty, misdemeanors, bail and more, are all rooted in data showing that these policies not only preserve limited resources, but also reduce rates of reoffense and victimization. That is how you build stronger, healthier communities.”
Stop obstructing criminal justice reforms. It’s making us all less safe.
OCT. 25, 2021 – Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s decision to eliminate most sentencing enhancements has been met with fierce backlash from proponents of “tough-on-crime” policies who continue to sell the public a false promise that more punishment means more safety. In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, former LA County District Attorneys Gil Garcetti and Ira Reiner and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss how DA Gascón’s policies – which are backed by the voters – will make communities safer, decrease burdens on taxpayers, and contribute to a fairer system for all.
“Evidence-based policies like the ones Gascón is implementing in Los Angeles hold people accountable without relying on extreme sentences, and they save taxpayer dollars that could be invested in things that actually have an impact on crime, such as public health, housing, education and violence prevention.”
Biden’s ‘Quiet Revolution’ Puts More Public Defenders on Federal Bench
OCT. 18, 2021 – Historically, prosecutors have been significantly overrepresented in the federal judiciary, but President Biden is making important inroads in diversifying the bench. In this Crime Report op-ed, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot and Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton – both former judges – join FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky to highlight why having more public defenders in the federal judiciary is essential to a fair and equitable criminal legal system.
“Just as it’s no longer a near-certainty that elected DAs will come from a crop of career prosecutors, it should no longer be the norm for prosecutors to dominate the judiciary.”