Act 47, passed in 2014, makes theft under $950 a misdemeanor. The author of Act 47 was L.A. County District Attorney George Gascon. Pictured are inmates at Chino State Prison in California.
L.A. County District Attorney George Gascon, who is facing a civil recall motion, has been criticized for a series of re-sentencing and sentence reduction policies for inmates. Recently, it was announced that he will further disband a hard-line investigative team within the DA’s office that specializes in gang crimes. L.A. County Sheriff (LASD) Alex Villanueva called the move a “suicide pact.
In response to Jascon’s policy, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said in a notice, “A disaster is unfolding …… that will result in an increase in violent crime in the community and more people becoming victims.”
Villanueva earlier tweeted, “While gang members continue to ‘push up’ the homicide rate in L.A. County, DA Jascon wants to disband the hard-core group that works with local law enforcement to deal with gang (issues). This is certainly fueling the violent crimes of gang members who threaten the safety of everyone. This is not reform, it is looking more and more like a suicide pact. Public safety and the safety of victims is important.”
The L.A. County Prosecutor’s Office’s hard-core investigation team, which deals with gang crime, is reportedly currently handling hundreds of cases. Once disbanded, certain charges against gang members will be dropped by the DA’s office in the future.
Jaskon’s policy, too, has been met with concern and opposition from many assistant prosecutors.
L.A. County Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Hatami tweeted on March 31, “This is a sad day in LA. The departments that handle both gang and narcotics (cases) have been cut in half. This will put public safety at greater risk.”
He said, “Most people, myself included, agree that our criminal justice system needs reform. But reform should not mean: releasing violent criminals, abandoning victims and surviving families, not attending parole hearings, disbanding and downsizing important felony (case processing) departments …….”
Jascon, who won from the general election last November, took office and has enacted a succession of policies to help decriminalize criminals, including ending the bail system, converting the death penalty to life imprisonment, lightening sentences for drug trafficking offenders and eliminating gang charges.
Khatami said that shortening the sentences of criminals for murderers, gang crimes, child abusers, hate crimes, gun crimes, domestic violence, etc. will not improve public safety. As for releasing offenders early without implementing transitional or rehabilitative programs at all, it is even less reform.
Statistically, crime rates in L.A. County in 2021 are up 39 percent for murders, 11 percent for aggravated assault cases, and 88 percent for shootings compared to the same period in 2020.
Pushing Radical Policies and Releasing Inmates Civilians Call for Jascon’s Removal
Jascon, a former San Francisco prosecutor and author of the current California Act 47, is considered dangerous and radical for his policies of lying to voters and favoring criminals. So when he took over as L.A. County District Attorney just three months ago, a coalition of more than 40,000 L.A. County citizens, victims and assistant deputy district attorneys filed a recall motion against him.
Victims’ Rights Advocates, Villanueva, former Los Angeles DA Stephen Cooley, former Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, former County Commissioner Michael Antonovich The grassroots movement to “remove Jascon” is supported by former and current California County Attorneys and Assistant Attorneys General, John W. Gillis, former State Director of the Office for Victims of Crime, and many others.
In addition, three cities in L.A. County have already voted no confidence in Jascon’s purported special reform policies. L.A. County Councilman Andrew Lara of Pico Rivera noted that Jascon’s judicial reforms are not agreeable to voters.
According to the official website of the “Recall Gascon” campaign (recallgeorgegascon.com), recall petition forms will be released in mid- or late-April. Once the signatures are collected, a special election process to recall Jascon can be initiated once the private sector has collected about 580,000 valid L.A. County voter signatures in 160 days.
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