LOS ANGELES – Today, survivors of crime that work with a long list of victim advocacy groups in LA and beyond launched “Victims for Gascón” in support of Gascón’s candidacy for Los Angeles District Attorney. The group seeks to raise awareness about DA Lacey and her campaign’s backwards attempts to stoke fear as she runs for a third term on the backs of survivors of crime.
“It is ironic and unacceptable that DA Lacey is running for a third term under the false pretense of protecting victims of crime when the truth is her policies have revictimized us over and over again,” said LaNaisha Edwards, Survivor & Program Director at United Communities for Peace. “We need a DA that is focused on healing, trauma-informed approaches and restorative models, rather than simply seeking punishment. We need a DA that is focused on getting results, not getting the headline.”
While Jackie Lacey invokes the specter of rapists and murderers in her campaign appearances and claims a superior record on achieving safety, the data tells a different story: Violent crime increased nearly 30% during her two terms in office while violent crime decreased during Gascón’s two terms. In fact, Gascón achieved those reductions while sending 1/4 the per capita rate of people to state prison. As DA in San Francisco, Gascón also increased the number of victims served by 75 percent and worked to overhaul the California Victims Compensation and Government Claims Board through his sponsorship of AB 1140.
“Victims of crime need the utmost care and consideration to ensure they get the services they need to address the trauma that they’ve suffered,” said former District Attorney and Assistant Chief of Police, George Gascón. “This is as important to their healing as it is to our community’s safety, as hurt people hurt people, with victims of crime being disproportionately likely to turn to crime themselves.”
The campaign complimented the announcement today by releasing Gascón’s Victim-Centered Justice policy proposal to safeguard victims’ rights while ensuring justice is served. One of the hallmarks of the proposal is ending cooperation requirements. Currently, Jackie Lacey coerces victims to cooperate with the prosecution by holding hostage the services they’re entitled to.
Gascón also proposes enhancing the accessibility of victim services by bringing advocates into the community. Often times victims of crime are hesitant and even too intimidated to come to the Hall of Justice to get help, and we must therefore make these services more accessible by bringing them to the community.
To read Mr. Gascón’s complete Victim-Centered Justice proposal click here.
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George Gascón is the Democratic Party’s nominee. He is endorsed by the LA Times, the LA Daily News, U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Black Lives Matter cofounder Patrisse Cullors, former Chief of the LAPD Charlie Beck, and many more.
Mr. Gascón grew up in Los Angeles after his family immigrated from Cuba. An army veteran, Gascón served as a Los Angeles Police Department Officer for 30 years, rising to the rank of Assistant Chief of Operations. In 2006 he became Chief of Police in Mesa, Arizona, where he stood up to the hateful and anti-immigrant policies of then Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. In 2009, then-San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed Gascón Chief of Police. Newsom turned to Gascón again in 2011 when he tapped him to be District Attorney to fill the seat vacated by an outgoing Kamala Harris who had been elected Attorney General. During his tenure Gascón implemented reforms that are being duplicated across the country while overseeing violent crime and homicides drop to rates not seen in 50 years. After being elected to two terms, Gascón returned to Los Angeles to care for his elderly mother and to be closer to his two daughters and grandchildren in Long Beach. Gascón is married to Fabiola Kramsky, a three-time Emmy Award winning journalist and recipient of the “Premio Nacional de Periodismo,” the highest recognition given to journalists in Mexico.