A New Vision for Public Safety: Realigning Prosecutorial Priorities to Fight for Residents’ Rights

Criminal justice reformers are supporting a new wave of progressive district attorneys, who represent a new opportunity to reverse decades of prison waste that has wreaked havoc on low-income communities of color. In communities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Contra Costa, California, forward-thinking prosecutors are using special prosecutions to fight for civil rights, economic justice, and environmental laws. Although the enforcement power is not new, the mind-set these prosecutors are bringing to their positions is innovative and will usher in a new approach to protecting rights and creating safe, thriving communities.