JULY 23, 2024<\/strong> \u2013 Child sex abuse by police officers is depressingly common in communities across the United States, but police officers who commit abuse rarely face true accountability.\u00a0 In an op-ed in Slate<\/a>, Arlington County & City of Falls Church Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Strategies for Youth Executive Director Lisa Thurau explain that elected prosecutors have a duty to protect children and ensure justice for survivors. To do so, elected prosecutors across the US and law enforcement leaders should advocate for empowered and fully resourced civilian oversight boards; zero-tolerance policies and practices toward predatory officers and those who fail to report them; investigations of problem officers by a different department than the employing agency; and a national database capable of tracking and blocking these officers from future careers in other law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n JUNE 15, 2024<\/strong> \u2013\u00a0Peremptory challenges allow parties in a legal case to remove potential jurors before trial for any reason other than a person\u2019s race, religion, ethnicity, or gender \u2013 but recent evidence uncovered by Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price underscores that prosecutors across the country have routinely engaged in discrimination against people of color, thereby undermining the integrity of our justice system. In\u00a0this CNN piece<\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund Deputy Director of Litigation Chris Kemmitt and Assistant Counsel Adam Murphy explain the racist history of peremptory strikes and call for prosecutors to stop using them.<\/p>\n MAY 3, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> As ministers of justice for their communities, elected prosecutors wield incredible power to shape the lives of the people they serve \u2013 for better or worse. In the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Magazine<\/em><\/a>, Albemarle County Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Jim Hingeley and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss the growing threats to democracy in our nation and around the globe, and explain why criminal justice leaders have a duty to reckon with past abuses of power and dedicate their work to defending the most vulnerable among us. \u201cLegal systems around the world have been complicit in some of the worst atrocities in human history, from slavery and Jim Crow in the United States to the mass genocide of the Holocaust in Europe. As a current elected prosecutor and a former federal prosecutor\u2026we know firsthand how critical it is for every elected official to publicly recognize and address past injustices, while also combating new attempts to foster hate.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n APRIL 22, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> The U.S. Supreme Court is considering Grants Pass v. Johnson<\/em>, a monumental case that will determine whether state and local leaders can arrest people simply for living outside even when adequate shelter is not available. In Salon<\/em><\/a>, former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, former Albany, NY Police Chief Brendan Cox, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain why this misguided approach to homelessness will further devastate local communities, drain valuable public resources, and exacerbate underlying challenges. \u201cThese are not easy issues and consensus solutions have yet to take hold nationwide. Yet we should be able to agree that punishing and incarcerating unhoused people will not address the root causes of the housing crisis or improve public safety \u2013 it\u2019s simply a way (at best) to make homelessness less visible. Moreover, this approach may actually exacerbate the very problem these local leaders claim to want to address.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n APRIL 19, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> Florida\u2019s so-called \u201cStop W.O.K.E. Act\u201d threatens to restrict the educational opportunities of law enforcement officers statewide by regulating workplace training related to race and gender. If allowed to become law, the legislation would erode community trust in government institutions \u2013 particularly among communities of color \u2013 and thereby undermine public safety. In an op-ed in Law360<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Law Enforcement Action Partnership Executive Director Diane Goldstein explain the importance of diversity training for police departments and why we must reject attempts to limit honest discussions of race. \u201cIt is not discrimination to learn about cultures different from your own or to understand how your own lived experiences affect how you see the world, including in ways that may be challenging or uncomfortable to consider\u2026. [I]t\u2019s especially essential when you are a law enforcement officer entrusted with making split-second decisions that can end someone’s life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n APRIL 9, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> Last month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed reforms that would have brought Virginia\u2019s criminal legal system in line with most states and other parts of the world. One bill would have restricted prosecutors from pursuing charges for kids under age 11, another would have allowed more discretion in the felony charging of people found with residual quantities of drugs, and a third would have allowed DACA recipients to be eligible for jobs in law enforcement. In USA Today<\/a><\/em>, Arlington County & City of Falls Church Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Albemarle County Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Jim Hingeley, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain how these reforms align with best practices and would have improved public safety and community wellbeing. \u201cYoungkin has vetoed more bills in one session than any other Virginian governor in modern history, but his sweeping and questionable actions have generated little backlash aside\u2026 [We] cannot afford to be complacent with such decisions, nor can we accept leaders\u2019 unwillingness to embrace effective, data-based policies. We must demand our leaders put people over politics.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MARCH 22, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> The Supreme Court is reviewing the case of an Oklahoma woman named Brenda Andrew, who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2004 for the murder of her husband \u2013 despite deeply disturbing sexism exhibited throughout her trial, ranging from eliciting testimony about her attractiveness to holding up her underwear in court. In The Oklahoman<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky urges the Court to defend the integrity of the criminal legal system by condemning such egregious conduct and granting review of Ms. Andrews\u2019 case. \u201cIf this \u2018pro-life\u2019 Supreme Court allows a death sentence to be carried out when the conviction relies on such blatant sexism, it would set a dangerous precedent that maintaining a conviction \u2013 and especially one that leads to state-sanctioned murder \u2013 is more important than the constitutional guarantees to a fair trial and the constitutional rights of women.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MARCH 18, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> Overdose deaths in the U.S. have risen nearly 540% since 1999, underscoring the dire need for state and federal officials to embrace new approaches grounded in public health instead of continuing to pursue ineffective punitive policies. In an op-ed in VT Digger<\/em><\/a>, Chittenden County (Burlington), VT State\u2019s Attorney Sarah George, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain why leaders at all levels of government must support harm reduction strategies like overdose prevention sites to save lives and improve public safety for everyone. \u201cPunishment alone will not solve the overdose crisis. We need to change the trajectory, and Vermont can show the rest of the nation that overdose prevention centers are a proven and essential tool in our comprehensive efforts to end this epidemic.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n FEB. 2, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> In more than 100 cases across 26 states, police and prosecutors have used a new and questionable investigative method known as \u201c911 call analysis\u201d to determine criminal guilt based on the word choice and behavior of people calling 911 to report an emergency. In an op-ed in Law360<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Innocence Project Forensic Science Policy Associate Isabelle Cohn explain why policymakers and public safety leaders must take action to prevent this unproven approach from ensnaring more innocent people in the criminal legal system. \u201cIt’s alarming that so many in law enforcement are embracing this unscientific method that weaponizes the language used by people experiencing the worst moment of their lives against them\u2026. Any one of us could need to call 911 for help in a moment of crisis. Doing so should never be a pathway to a wrongful conviction.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JAN. 30, 2024 \u2013<\/strong>\u00a0In 2023, L.A. County implemented a new bail policy that enables judges to decide whether an individual should be detained pretrial based on their risk to the community rather than their ability to post bail. Within days of the policy taking effect, a group of small cities sued the county in an effort to return to the failed status quo. In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Daily News<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explains why leaders across L.A. must embrace this long-overdue change to promote public safety and community well-being. \u201cWhen decisions are made based on public safety \u2013 instead of the size of an individual\u2019s bank account \u2013 we can better serve the interests of justice, prevent future victimization, and reduce harm instead of exacerbating it. So, when leaders choose to spend resources and energy perpetuating fear about bail reform, they are choosing to protect a system that makes us less safe.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n NOV. 28, 2023 \u2013 <\/strong>Recently released videos show LASD deputies assaulting individuals held in the county\u2019s jails, just the latest evidence of the horrific conditions of confinement in Los Angeles. These videos come 10 years after a commission of community leaders investigated LA\u2019s jails and issued recommendations to address a decades-long pattern of excessive force by sheriff\u2019s deputies. Yet, far too little progress has been made as the department has resisted meaningful and lasting reform. In this op-ed in the Los Angeles Daily News<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Impact Justice President Alex Busansky \u2013 who were part of the Citizens\u2019 Commission on Jail Violence a decade ago \u2013 call for long-overdue measures to protect those in the care of the county and ensure the LA Sheriff\u2019s Department is held accountable.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue progress at [the Los Angeles Sheriff\u2019s Department] requires sustainable reforms and culture change. The time for accountability is long overdue, and decision makers have all the evidence they need to take action today.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n NOV. 27, 2023 \u2013 <\/strong>In September 2022, Adnan Syed walked out of prison 22 years after he was sentenced to life for the murder of his former girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Now, the Maryland Supreme Court is considering whether to reinstate his conviction \u2013 not because of new evidence, but due to a procedural issue. In this op-ed in The Baltimore Sun<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and the University of Maryland Clinical Law Program Director Leigh Goodmark explain how the outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for efforts to address unconstitutional and wrongful convictions across Maryland and the nation.<\/p>\n \u201c[All victims] have important rights in the criminal process, but preserving a wrongful conviction, even temporarily, benefits no one. Wrongful convictions are extraordinarily harmful, not just to the wrongfully convicted, but to crime victims as well as society as a whole.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n NOV. 26, 2023 \u2013 <\/strong>Since assuming office, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has removed 23 locally elected officials throughout the state \u2013 an astounding number that underscores the governor\u2019s complete disregard for the rights of voters. On Dec. 6, the Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the constitutionality of the governor\u2019s baseless suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrell. In an op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel<\/em><\/a>, former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Pariente and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky urge the Court to defend democracy by setting limits on the governor\u2019s power to remove duly-elected officials.<\/p>\n \u201cIf people think their votes don\u2019t matter and believe the system is unfair, they are less likely to participate in it. This extends to the criminal legal system, which relies on the cooperation and trust of the public to keep all of us safe. Anyone who cares about government, the safety of our communities, and law and order should be afraid of such an outcome.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n OCT. 30, 2023 \u2013 <\/strong>The decisions made by each of the more than 2,000 prosecutors\u2019 offices nationwide have significant impacts on individuals and their communities, but few offices collect and share data in ways that help inform policy choices and improve case outcomes. Thankfully, a new generation of prosecutors is investing in data infrastructure that helps improve both equity and transparency, thereby strengthening trust in the system and promoting public safety. In an op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, Data Innovations Director Ryan Gentzler, and Research & Policy Associate Michaela Bono explain why elected district attorneys \u2013 and the officials who fund them \u2013 must prioritize data to build a better justice system.<\/p>\n \u201c[M]aking the investment and addressing the short-term obstacles to enhancing data capacity\u2026is more than worth the long-term gains in fairness, transparency, and fortifying faith in a system where bonds of trust have been eroded.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n AUG. 14, 2023 \u2013 <\/strong>Across the country, far too many children passing through juvenile court systems are burdened with myriad fines, fees, and other costs without any regard for their ability to pay \u2013 often forcing youth and their families into desperate situations that cause irreparable harm and increase the likelihood of recidivism. In an op-ed in The Imprint<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Executive Director Joey Ordu\u00f1a Hastings, and Gault Center Executive Director Mary Ann Scali explain why policymakers must take action to eliminate the financial demands imposed on children and families by the criminal legal system.<\/p>\n \u201cRequiring children to pay to move through the legal process is unjust and ineffective, and provides no public safety benefit. Even modest fees and costs act as invisible shackles, tethering children to a broken system and perpetuating cycles of discrimination, poverty and incarceration.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n JUNE 15, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> The right to a trial is enshrined in the 6th Amendment, but as caseloads expanded in the era of mass incarceration, jury trials all but disappeared, as the system came to rely on guilty pleas to resolve cases. Now, the system routinely punishes those who exercise this constitutional right with a \u2018trial penalty\u2019 \u2013 the difference between the sentence attached to a plea offer versus the much greater sentence an individual may receive if convicted by a jury. This inequity prompted the formation of the Trial Penalty Coalition, a group of organizations and individuals united around ending this coercive and unjust practice. In an op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explains the concerning consequences of coercive plea bargaining and the trial penalty and why we must act now to address it.<\/p>\n \u201cPlea bargaining is, in theory, intended to serve as an integral part of our criminal legal system\u2026 But it too often ends up in tension with the notion of justice, punishing those who exercise their constitutional right to trial and even, at times, coercing innocent individuals to enter a plea of guilty.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MAY 19, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> The Los Angeles Superior Court issued an order to end enforcement of LA\u2019s bail schedule, a system which assigns a price to release from jail based solely on arrest charges without any regard for individualized factors including the strength of evidence, flight risk, or a person\u2019s financial status. In an op-ed in the Daily Journal<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, and retired California Courts of Appeal Senior Justice Anthony Kline explain why this decision is a victory for the people of LA and long-term public safety.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth arrested individuals and the broader community are safer when people can continue their lives with their families, quickly return to work, and maintain their own health until their next court appearance\u2026. This ruling should be applauded by anyone with an interest in protecting both the Constitution and public safety.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MAY 4, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> As we mark five decades since the start of mass incarceration in the United States, lawmakers must confront the extreme sentencing policies that have fueled the staggering increase in our prison population. We can start by eliminating \u201cfelony murder\u201d laws, which allow prosecutors to charge people with murder for participating in a felony that resulted in someone being killed \u2013 even if the individual did not directly cause or intend the loss of life. In an op-ed in Marketwatch<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and The Sentencing Project Co-Director of Research Nazgol Ghandnoosh explain why we must abolish ineffective and unjust felony murder statutes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe criminal legal system loses credibility when someone can be sentenced to life without parole for simply being in the same room as a person who took a life. It is in clear tension with how our legal system is supposed to work, where a criminal sentence is proportional to the moral weight of a crime and accounts for the actions of the individual.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MARCH 25, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> A dangerous and disheartening backlash to justice reform \u2013 predicated on misinformation and an effort to resurrect failed tough-on-crime tactics \u2013 has sadly led to the defeat of a ten-plus year effort to reform DC\u2019s outdated criminal code. But as FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Communications Director Alyssa Kress explain in this op-ed in Marketwatch<\/em><\/a>, creating safe and healthy communities requires embracing evidence-backed reforms that reduce incarceration rates and shift resources from punishment to prevention.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile too many politicians give lip service to reform, those who really care about justice are doing the work, regardless of electoral consequences. We need more bold, innovative leaders willing to rethink how we achieve safety and accountability, not those who go where the wind blows and spread misinformation for political gain.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MARCH 12, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> The Los Angeles County Superior Court has before it a case testing the constitutionality of LA\u2019s bail schedule, which assigns a price to freedom based only on arrest charges \u2013 without accounting for the strength (or lack) of evidence, the likelihood of a person returning to court, or other individualized factors. In a Los Angeles Daily News<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, and retired California Courts of Appeal Senior Justice Anthony Kline explain how the current flawed bail system harms community members and undermines public safety and why LA city and county leaders should act today to end it.<\/p>\n \u201c[LA\u2019s] bail schedule conditions freedom on nothing more than a person\u2019s ability to pay\u2026. This system is not only unconstitutional but also undermines public safety by inflicting vast collateral consequences on individuals, many of whom will ultimately not even be charged with a crime.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n JAN. 19, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> The cruel and inhumane response to our nation\u2019s border crisis \u2013 from using migrants as political pawns to President Biden expanding harsh policies intended to crack down on asylum seekers \u2013 has left a void of compassionate leadership in immigration policy. In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times<\/em><\/a>, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gasc\u00f3n and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain how elected prosecutors can be unexpected leaders in the immigration debate by implementing policies that support immigrant communities, build local trust, and promote public safety for all.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that anti-immigrant policies aren\u2019t just inhumane; they\u2019re also dangerous. Our criminal legal system depends on all members of the community to report crimes, cooperate with investigators, testify in court and join efforts to prevent future violence \u2014 but we cannot expect people to collaborate with a government they don\u2019t trust.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JAN. 10, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> Developments in DNA technology can be incredibly beneficial to investigations \u2013 and also help exonerate the innocent \u2013 but it\u2019s essential that criminal justice leaders and the public understand their limitations. In an op-ed in NBC News THINK<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Senior Research, Policy and Communications Associate Rebecca Blair explain why we must think critically about DNA analysis as well as other advancements in forensic science to ensure that every investigation meets the high standards required for justice and accountability.<\/p>\n \u201cThe criminal legal system is increasingly relying on innovative new techniques for analyzing genetic material. As such, it\u2019s important that we build a greater understanding among both the criminal justice field and the public of how DNA is used, what it can tell us definitively and what it cannot.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JAN. 6, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> Last year, voters across the country demonstrated their continuing appetite for justice reform with the election and re-election of inspiring local prosecutors who are leading the charge on transforming the criminal legal system. In an op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discusses the successes of the reform-minded prosecutor movement in 2022 and looks ahead to opportunities for reform in 2023, from addressing extreme sentences and holding police accountable to promoting reproductive justice and providing transparency through data.<\/p>\n \u201cTime and again, pundits and tough-on-crime forces have prematurely predicted the demise of the reform-minded prosecutor movement. But 2022 solidified that this is in fact a movement, not a moment, and these elected officials are poised to lead the way on justice reform in 2023.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n DEC. 8, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>All too often, people experiencing mental health crises in the U.S. are met with police and punishment instead of care and compassion. In an op-ed in USA Today<\/em><\/a>, Chittenden County State\u2019s Attorney Sarah George, retired Albany, N.Y. Police Chief Brendan Cox, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain how elected prosecutors, law enforcement, public health experts, and community leaders can come together to develop new responses to mental health that promote the health and safety of individuals and communities.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen someone is in crisis and needs help, we have a choice: We can continue to try to incarcerate our way out of our country\u2019s mental health challenges or we can respond with humanity and care, saving lives and creating healthier, safer communities.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n NOV. 11, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>Despite rampant fearmongering from tough-on-crime proponents in the 2022 election cycle, communities showed yet again that they want real change in the justice system. In an op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Communications Director Alyssa Kress recap the many electoral victories for reform-minded prosecutors around the country and discuss why we must continue to push back on widespread misinformation about crime and crime that only serves to protect the status quo.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hope that the visionary leaders elected\u2026will help fuel changes in their communities and that those who remain wedded to traditional tough-on-crime approaches will open their minds to a different \u2013 and safer \u2013 future.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n NOV. 7, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>In Moore v. Harper, the Supreme Court will consider a little-known legal concept called the \u201cindependent state legislature theory\u201d (ISLT) that, if adopted, would fracture the system of checks and balances at the heart of American democracy by allowing state legislatures to have unlimited and unrestrained authority over regulating federal elections and drawing congressional maps. In an op-ed in USA Today<\/em><\/a>, Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney Eli Savit, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain why all of us should be alarmed by the harmful impact a SCOTUS decision legitimizing ISLT could have on the integrity of judicial review and law enforcement\u2019s ability to keep communities safe.<\/p>\n \u201cA Supreme Court decision legitimizing [ISLT] could destroy public trust in the legitimacy of the judiciary and electoral systems, which isn\u2019t just a voting rights issue \u2013 it\u2019s a public safety issue.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n OCT. 14, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>Nearly a decade after Adnan Syed\u2019s case gained notoriety on the podcast Serial, prosecutors in Baltimore announced that they were dropping all charges against him, after examining critical exculpatory evidence never disclosed during his initial trial. In the wake of this long overdue correction of a past injustice, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Communications Director Alyssa Kress discuss in an op-ed in MarketWatch<\/em><\/a> the larger problem across the country with prosecutorial misconduct that leads to wrongful convictions, and the obligation of elected prosecutors to address and learn from the mistakes of the past so that the same errors do not play out time and time again.<\/p>\n \u201cThe power to take away another person\u2019s freedom is an immense responsibility. With that responsibility comes the imperative to correct and learn from past mistakes, with due recognition of the devastating consequences when these ideals are not met.<\/span>\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n SEPT. 7, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland to operate overdose prevention sites \u2013 legally-sanctioned spaces where people can consume self-supplied drugs under the supervision of staff trained to respond in the event of an overdose. In an op-ed in The Sacramento Bee<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Research & Policy Associate Reeve Jacobus explain why policymakers like Governor Newsom are putting politics above people\u2019s lives by ignoring extensive research showing the life-saving benefits of OPSs.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile opponents argue that overdose prevention sites perpetuate drug use, the opposite is true. These sites connect users to community-based treatment and are associated with an increase in those seeking treatment. And they don\u2019t lead to more crime in surrounding areas.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n AUG. 23, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>Florida Governor Ron DeSantis\u2019s recent suspension of State Attorney Andrew Warren is a dangerous intrusion on prosecutorial discretion and the will of the voters who have twice embraced SA Warren\u2019s reform agenda. In an op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky argues that we should applaud transparency from prosecutors who are promoting both justice and safety by using their limited resources to prioritize serious crimes.<\/p>\n \u201cBy making clear his priorities in ensuring the safety and well-being of his community, Warren was doing exactly what the voters of his community had elected him to do; he was fulfilling his sworn and ethical obligation to pursue justice.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n AUG. 19, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>A few court decisions in recent years have recognized that many of the justifications for treating juveniles differently than adults in the criminal legal system should also apply to \u201cemerging adults\u201d in their late teens and early-to-mid twenties. At this age, their brains are still developing, making them more impulsive and susceptible to peer pressure but also more likely to grow and change. In a Marketwatch<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Research and Policy Associate Rebecca Blair explain why it\u2019s essential that our justice system reconsider when adulthood starts.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can acknowledge that violence doesn\u2019t happen in a vacuum, that holding individuals accountable doesn\u2019t mean ignoring the factors that influenced their actions. We can recognize that young people grow up and decide to care who they become.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n AUG. 12, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>California\u2019s three strikes law has resulted in harsh and unnecessary extreme sentences at great human and financial cost, without making communities safer. In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times<\/em><\/a>, UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky argue that the three strikes law is antithetical to justice and explain why the CA Supreme Court must ensure that elected prosecutors maintain discretion to not pursue these enhancements.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s easy to believe that locking people up for longer periods of time makes us safer. But there is no evidence that extreme sentences improve public safety.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n AUG. 2, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>Drug-induced-homicide prosecutions involve charging individuals with homicide when they supply drugs that result in a fatal overdose, even if there was no specific intent to kill. DIH prosecutions have become more common in recent years despite evidence that they are ineffective at reducing overdoses and can in fact exacerbate the harms of this crisis. Read more about why prosecutors should instead embrace a harm reduction approach in this USA Today<\/em> op-ed<\/a> by Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, and Northeastern University School of Law\u2019s Health in Justice Action Lab Faculty Director Leo Beletsky.<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as [drug-induced homicide] laws are still on the books, elected prosecutors have the power to choose a different paradigm. They can embrace a public health response and harm reduction approaches over punitive carceral responses.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JULY 15, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>Elected prosecutors hold immense power over who is sent to prison and for how long, yet many have never visited a correctional facility. In this op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a>, Nueces County, TX District Attorney Mark Gonzalez, Portsmouth, VA Commonwealth Attorney Stephanie Morales, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain why every prosecutor should #VisitAPrison and see firsthand the harsh reality of mass incarceration.<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps if more prosecutors understood the inhumane and dangerous conditions of jails and prisons \u2013 and invested in understanding the people living in these facilities \u2013 they would think twice about alternatives before asking to send human beings to these facilities, removing them from supports in their community.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JUNE 16, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>The United States is the only country in the world to condemn children to life without parole, and in many states, there is no minimum age for the prosecution of kids. In comparison, Germany\u2019s justice system treats children like children, focusing on rehabilitation instead of punishment. In this op-ed in Marketwatch<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explains why we should be following Germany\u2019s lead in how our legal system treats children.<\/p>\n \u201cGermany\u2019s juvenile justice system can and should inspire us to want more for America\u2019s children, who deserve to be treated as kids and given the support they need to thrive rather than be saddled with trauma and burdens that can last a lifetime.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JUNE 13, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>The recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was fueled by a deep-pocketed special interest campaign that preyed on the fears and anxieties people felt in the wake of an unprecedented pandemic that disrupted lives and created tremendous challenges. FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explains in an op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a> why this singular outcome should not be interpreted as a sign that voters are rejecting common-sense criminal justice reforms and recounts the many results nationwide underscoring that momentum for change remains strong.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile what happened in San Francisco is disappointing to those seeking to advance change, it does not signal the end of this movement. Instead, it underscores its success and the resulting threat it poses to the status quo. And that should motivate all who seek a more just criminal legal system to fight back; these changes are just getting started.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n MAY 17, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>Across the country, state legislators backing anti-trans efforts have created an illusory problem as a way to distract from the very real issues facing their states. Deeply troubling laws stigmatizing and potentially criminalizing transgender children and the people who care for them are putting both the lives of children and public safety at risk. Read more on how prosecutors can take a stand to protect trans children in this Washington Post<\/em> op-ed<\/a> by FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and former U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance.<\/p>\n \u201cAs long as states continue to enact hateful and misguided laws, local elected prosecutors \u2014 who take an oath to protect all in their communities \u2014 have no choice but to exercise their vast discretion and refuse to prosecute.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n APRIL 18, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>There is no evidence that the death penalty makes us safer. Instead, it punishes the most vulnerable among us, threatens the innocent, and is rife with racial disparities. Yet some states continue to escalate their use of capital punishment. In this NBC Think op-ed<\/a>, Arlington County and the City of Falls Church Commonwealth\u2019s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain why the death penalty can\u2019t be fixed and call for an end to capital punishment, once and for all.<\/p>\n \u201cNo matter how horrific or heart-wrenching the case in front of us, we have to remember that as long as the death penalty exists, it will continue to amplify the worst parts of our justice system. We\u2019re well past the time for quibbling over how to kill. Now it\u2019s time to grapple, once and for all, with IF we kill. And the answer must be a resounding no.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MARCH 8, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>In the United States, children have few, if any, protections during interrogations, which has led to numerous false confessions that landed innocent teenagers behind bars for decades. In an op-ed in USA Today<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Fair Trials Global CEO Norman L. Reimer discuss how policymakers, prosecutors, and law enforcement can take a stand to safeguard young people during questioning and align our practices with international standards.<\/p>\n \u201cHandcuffing, shackling, lying, threatening, cajoling and hours of questioning often yield false confessions from adults. History and data tell us that these practices are even more dangerous when used against children.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n FEB 21, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>After the Biden Administration closed its application period for a harm reduction grant program, there was a media firestorm and backlash from some around the funding of safe smoking kits, which have been proven to help save lives. The attacks were filled with misinformation and racist undertones stemming from decades of criminalizing drug use and \u201cjust say no\u201d messaging. In an op-ed in USA Today<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky urges leaders to reject false rhetoric around drug use and instead embrace proven harm reduction strategies \u2013 like this grant program \u2013 that can help save lives.<\/p>\n \u201cThe alternative to decades of failed policies can be found in dedicating resources to things like smoking safety kits, safe injection sites and other public health-based strategies. It’s time to chart a new way forward. Let’s not accede to overblown headlines and misinformation that will cost lives.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JAN. 31, 2022 \u2013 <\/strong>Anti-reform forces continue to point fingers at reform-minded prosecutors for increases in crime, a dynamic fueling the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. But as FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky writes in an op-ed in MarketWatch<\/em><\/a>, these attacks are unfounded, at odds with the data, and ignore the need to proactively address the root causes of crime.<\/p>\n \u201c[S]ome critics of [reform] … argue that more cops, more prisons and more people behind bars is the only way to address a rising tide of violence. Yet none of these strategies has been proven to prevent crime.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n DEC. 20, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>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<\/em><\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the evidence shows that the dangers of these traffic stops \u2013 including exacerbating troubling racial disparities \u2013 significantly outweigh any potential benefit to public safety.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n DEC. 7, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>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<\/em><\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n \u201cMore 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.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n NOV. 22, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>After years of failed \u201ctough-on-crime\u201d policies in Los Angeles that put more people behind bars without making communities any safer, voters called for change by electing District Attorney George Gasc\u00f3n in 2020. Since taking office, DA Gasc\u00f3n 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<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, former Los Angeles District Attorneys Gil Garcetti and Ira Reiner and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss why DA Gasc\u00f3n\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cGasc\u00f3n\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n OCT. 25, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gasc\u00f3n\u2019s decision to eliminate most sentencing enhancements has been met with fierce backlash from proponents of \u201ctough-on-crime\u201d policies who continue to sell the public a false promise that more punishment means more safety. In a Los Angeles Times<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, former LA County District Attorneys Gil Garcetti and Ira Reiner and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss how DA Gasc\u00f3n\u2019s policies \u2013 which are backed by the voters \u2013 will make communities safer, decrease burdens on taxpayers, and contribute to a fairer system for all.<\/p>\n \u201cEvidence-based policies like the ones Gasc\u00f3n 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.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n OCT. 18, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>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<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot and Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton \u2013 both former judges \u2013 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.<\/p>\n \u201cJust as it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n OCT. 7, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>The overdose epidemic has raged during the pandemic, underscoring the failure of our nation\u2019s drug policies and the need for urgent federal action. Both the Supreme Court and the Biden administration have an opportunity to save lives by supporting overdose prevention sites, where people can receive life-saving care and access treatment and resources. In this USA Today<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, and Dr. Bonnie Milas \u2013 who lost two sons to drug overdose \u2013 highlight why federal leadership is critical to implementing the proven harm reduction strategies that can address this crisis.<\/p>\n “Americans are struggling with drug addiction on an unimaginable scale. Far too many are dying unnecessarily…. While new public health approaches can\u2019t bring back the many sons and daughters already lost, they can save other children and keep other parents from pain and loss.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n AUG. 31, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>Efforts to suppress people\u2019s fundamental right to vote threaten public safety by undermining trust in government and diverting limited resources to address a nonexistent problem. In an Austin American Statesman op-ed<\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Texas District Attorney Jos\u00e9 Garza (Travis County) condemn the passage of legislation in Texas that unnecessarily restricts voting rights.<\/p>\n \u201c[W]e\u2019re saddened to see this erosion of voting rights based on misinformation, and in ways that damage civil rights, communities of color, and economic opportunity\u2026. Laws that restrict and criminalize voting erode trust in government and waste limited law enforcement resources, thereby undermining public safety.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n AUG. 22, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>Across the country, communities aren\u2019t buying the \u201ctough on crime\u201d policies of the past and are instead doubling down on programs and leaders confronting the causes of crime and investing in preventing violence before it occurs. In this USA Today<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss why President Biden must create lasting change to our criminal legal system by building on this community-based movement and investing in prosecution reform through a Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Prosecution.<\/p>\n \u201cCommunities are rejecting fear-based narratives for evidence-based solutions and flocking to the polls with a hunger for systemic transformation. It\u2019s time for the president and national leaders to heed this call and invest in prosecutorial innovation that can make the criminal legal system more fair and just for all communities and leave America safer.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JULY 15, 2021 \u2013 <\/strong>In response to the record-breaking number of deeply disturbing anti-trans bills introduced around the country in 2021, Durham County, NC District Attorney Satana Deberry, Kauai County, HI Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky co-authored this USA Today op-ed<\/a> discussing the obligation of law enforcement leaders and prosecutors to stand together in opposing these dangerous bills that put trans people at risk and undermine public safety.<\/p>\n\n
What\u2019s wrong with the jury selection process<\/h4>\n
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Reckoning with the past is the only way to achieve a just society<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Supreme Court must reject incarceration as a response to homelessness<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nThe 11th Circuit’s block of Florida\u2019s ‘Stop WOKE’ Act is good for public safety<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nGov. Youngkin\u2019s criminal justice reform spree puts politics over public safety<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nProsecutors put Brenda Andrew’s gender on trial. Now, will Oklahoma execute her?<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s time for state and local leaders to embrace overdose prevention centers<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n911 call scrutiny should not be used to identify suspects<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nLos Angeles cities are wrong to oppose bail reforms that make us safer<\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nWill the Los Angeles County Sheriff\u2019s Department finally be held accountable?<\/h4>\n
The Maryland Supreme Court must allow unconstitutional convictions to be overturned<\/h4>\n
Florida\u2019s Supreme Court must protect voters from Gov. DeSantis\u2019 overreach<\/h4>\n
Every prosecutor\u2019s office should be investing in data<\/h4>\n
Juvenile court fees and costs are invisible shackles that tether children to a broken system<\/h4>\n
Bring back the jury trial<\/h4>\n
Ending cash-based jailing: a win for the constitution and public safety<\/h4>\n
\u2018Felony murder\u2019 laws impose punishment that doesn\u2019t fit the crime or keep us safer<\/h4>\n
To achieve public safety, invest in communities \u2013 not cages<\/h4>\n
Los Angeles\u2019 bail schedule is unconstitutional and a threat to public safety<\/h4>\n
How local D.A.s can help protect immigrant families from dangerous federal policies<\/h4>\n
Police used DNA to identify a suspect in the Idaho killings. What does that tell us?<\/h4>\n
2023 presents reform opportunities for prosecutors across the nation<\/h4>\n
It\u2019s time to take punishment out of our mental health response<\/h4>\n
Reform \u2013 not crime \u2013 was the winning message in 2022<\/h4>\n
Election law isn\u2019t just a voting rights issue \u2013 it\u2019s also a public safety issue<\/h4>\n
Wrongful convictions cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Wrongdoing prosecutors must be held accountable.<\/h4>\n
Gavin Newsom\u2019s veto of California safe injection sites sacrifices lives to politics<\/h4>\n
DeSantis’ suspension of duly elected prosecutor Andrew Warren undermines the democratic process<\/h4>\n
Courts have ruled that sentencing kids to die in prison is cruel and unusual. Now they\u2019re reconsidering when adulthood starts.<\/h4>\n
California\u2019s \u2018three strikes\u2019 law still carries a devastating human and financial cost. End it now<\/h4>\n
Drug-induced homicide should not result in prison time for those who call for help<\/h4>\n
Memo to prosecutors: Visit your local prison<\/h4>\n
What the U.S. can learn from Germany on youth justice<\/h4>\n
Setting the record straight after the SF recall: Voters still support reform<\/h4>\n
Anti-trans laws make everyone less safe<\/h4>\n
The death penalty can’t be fixed. It’s time to end it.<\/h4>\n
Children deserve protections that too many aren’t getting in the US justice system<\/h4>\n
‘Crack pipe’ rhetoric is not only wrong, it’s deadly. Harm reduction efforts save lives.<\/h4>\n
Tough-on-crime laws and mass incarceration waste tax dollars and don\u2019t make us any safer<\/h4>\n
Ending Unnecessary Traffic Stops That Can Kill<\/h4>\n
How (Some) Prosecutors Changed the Face of Justice in 2021<\/h4>\n
George Gasc\u00f3n\u2019s policies are based in science and backed by voters<\/h4>\n
Stop obstructing criminal justice reforms. It\u2019s making us all less safe.<\/h4>\n
Biden\u2019s \u2018Quiet Revolution\u2019 Puts More Public Defenders on Federal Bench<\/h4>\n
I resuscitated one of my sons after an overdose. Court, Biden must push prevention sites.<\/h4>\n
Texas\u2019 voting restrictions are a threat to public safety<\/h4>\n
Voters want progressive prosecutors. Biden must follow through on promise to guide reform.<\/h4>\n
DAs have discretion. Use it to decline prosecution in cases that target trans community.<\/h4>\n