In Los Angeles County, District Attorney George Gascón Has Big Plans for Reshaping the Criminal Justice System
When George Gascó was sworn in as Los Angeles County district attorney in December, he announced a series of reforms that would reshape the criminal justice system of the largest county in the United States.He called for the end of cash bail for all misdemeanor and non-violent, non-serious felony crimes. “Money is a terrible proxy for risk posed to society,” he said.
He announced anyone charged with low-level misdemeanors for the first time will be diverted and receive help rather than jailed. “In the ’80s and ’90s, America defunded public housing and mental health. We turned public health problems into criminal ones. The results were disastrous,” he said.