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PUBLIC SAFETY

As a City Prosecutor for 7 years, I have seen all aspects of our criminal justice system. I have seen our resources get stretched to the breaking point, and with a worsening economy, law enforcement officials expect crime to get worse. With over 50,000 gang members in the City of Los Angeles alone, there remains a constant threat to public safety. It is imperative that law enforcement officials have the resources needed to arrest, investigate, and prosecute those responsible for victimizing our communities. I will work to make sure our courts and judicial system have adequate funds to adjudicate matters on a timely basis and carry out sentences for violent offenders. At the same time, there are many reforms we can make that will save the State millions of dollars, all the while improving public safety. If elected, I would work to reform our criminal justice system by making the following reforms:

• We need to move many troubled individuals out of the criminal justice system and into our public health system. Many low-level criminal defendants suffer from a variety of social ills, from homelessness, mental illness, drug addiction and extreme poverty. I have seen several recidivist prostitutes, addicts, and transients convicted of misdemeanor crimes, only to return to court soon after for the same offenses. If we developed a comprehensive system that would divert these defendants into social services and psychological treatment, we could keep these defendants from re-offending, save the State millions of dollars, and get these individuals the help they need. The “Housing First” policy is one good example. This successful approach to homelessness provides permanent housing rather than emergency shelters that prove unsafe and psychologically stress producing. Providing supervised housing not only saves millions of public dollars, but it is the humane thing to do, and these troubled outcasts will not be prosecuted for not having a place to live. If we can reform our criminal justice system so that troubled populations can receive social services, we will relieve the overcrowding in our jails and let law enforcement put away truly violent offenders.
• I oppose any attempts to pry into the personal lives of our law enforcement officers, whether it is their finances or medical histories. I’ve seen many criminal defendants use personal attacks upon officers as a strategy to “beat the rap” for their own offenses. Gang members have become particularly adept at filing complaints against particular officers who’ve proven effective in frustrating a gang’s criminal conspiracies. Gang members know that if they file enough fabricated complaints against a particular officer, that officer will be transferred to another division, and it will take a long time for the new officer to get up to speed in learning the lay of the land. Further intrusions into an officer’s personal finances will just be another ploy to put the officer on trial for his or her efforts in protecting the public.
• We must give law enforcement officials the resources they need, not only for the community’s sake, but for officer safety as well. First, we can initiate efficiencies to policing, like using electronic police reports. Other major cities have instituted these policies, and not only does it cut down on printing expenses, but deliverability is faster and easier as well. Second, we need to hire more officers. It is a tragedy that we can never find the money to adequately patrol our streets and protect our communities. Millions of dollars are lost every year because of crime, and hiring more officers would save the State money and spur Economic Development in depressed areas. Third, we must continue to foster community policing by funding programs that have already proven successful. I have seen first-hand the difference when community members get involved in a Neighborhood Watch or Advisory Board.
• We must expand the Victim’s Assistance Program so that it covers all victims of crime. I had several cases where individuals from low-income households found themselves with mounting medical bills as a result of being a victim of violence. Many times the defendants are indigent and don’t have the ability to make restitution. The Victim’s Assistance Program was designed to help in these situations, but many times the remedy was inadequate or the victims didn’t qualify. I would like to expand the program, so that low-income individuals are not victimized twice by criminals and debt collectors.
• We must provide more resources for victims of Domestic Violence, Rape, and Hate crimes. In my practice, I’ve seen deep emotional and mental wounds take their toll on women and men who are subject to particularly brutal acts. There are a few trained Victims Advocates in court, but there aren’t nearly enough resources for these vulnerable populations. I would like to see an expansion of counseling resources immediately available in the courthouse to perform adequate outreach. The scars of physical violence can heal, but sometimes the psychological trauma can remain long after the crime has been committed.