Community Safety A Plan for Violence Prevention, Response, and Recovery - February 2022
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Community Safety A Plan for Violence Prevention, Response, and Recovery February 2022
Contents
Introduction 3
I. Preventing Violence 5
Invest in Violence Interruption 5
Combat the Circumstances that Lead to Violence 7
Get Guns Off the Street 7
Expand Mental Health Services 8
Prevent Young People From Becoming Involved with Crime 9
Respond to Drug Use as a Public Health Emergency 10
II. Responding to Crime 12
Decenter Police from Crisis and Traffic Responses 12
Reform Police Culture to Foster Positive Relationships Between
Communities and Police 13
Increase Transparency, Accountability, and Oversight Over Police 15
Eliminate Ineffectual and Dangerous Police Tactics 16
Expand Diversion and Restorative Justice Programs 17
Abolish Mandatory Minimums 18
Treat Children as Children 19
Address Inhumane Conditions of Incarceration 19
III. Recovering From Crime 21
Expand Rights and Resources for Survivors 21
Ensure Effective Re-entry for Returning Citizens 22
Conclusion 25
2Introduction
Having grown up in DC in the 1990s, I know what it means to not feel safe in our city.
Many of us worry that we are moving back to the time when our great city was
known as the “murder capital.” DC had 226 homicides in 2021, the most in 18 years. 1
The number of homicides has increased every year for the last four years, and
violence like this is a sign that DC communities are hurting in ways that require
healing.
This violence is happening despite the fact that DC has one of the largest per capita
police budgets of any city in the nation. 2 If police spending alone stopped violence,
DC would be one of the safest cities in the world. But we’re not. It’s clear our current
approach to criminal justice and public safety is not turning the tide on violent crime,
and we cannot continue to put more and more taxpayer money into the same
systems, hoping for different outcomes.
Ensuring our city is safe will take a holistic approach from all of DC government as
well as our community partners. In my years on DC Council I’ve heard from experts
on this issue, including public safety officials, police officers, members of the Police
Reform Commission, the ACLU of DC, and more. Based on their expertise, as well as
what I hear from DC residents every day, I have developed a plan to (1) prevent crime
(2) respond to crime and (3) help communities to recover from decades of violence.
That means we will interrupt the patterns and circumstances that lead to crime,
ensure our responses to violence are trauma-informed, do not create further harm,
and hold those who commit violent acts accountable, and help individuals and
1
Metropolitan Police Department. “District Crime Data at a Glance.” Accessed January 5, 2021. Available at
https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/district-crime-data-glance.
2
Learish, J. “Defund the police? Police budgets of major U.S. cities.” (2021, September 30). CBS News. Available at
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/defund-the-police-police-budgets-of-major-us-cities/7/INTRODUCTION
communities recover from the trauma of violence and help returning citizens reenter
communities.
The best crime response is one that prevents crime from occuring in the first place.
Our city has not yet fully committed to proven violence interventions and has
allowed conditions that enable violence to fester. Half measures have shown
themselves to be insufficient. We need to make real investments in violence
interruption and strengthening communities, commit to real reforms in our public
safety agencies, and address the trauma that violence has left on our city. As mayor, I
will ensure real investment in proven, data-driven solutions.
Together, we can make DC a safer place for everyone. The following is my vision for
a safer city.
4I. Preventing Violence Simply being tough on crime will not make our communities safer, as we have seen all too well in the last few decades. We can’t scare people out of committing crimes with threats of police action or incarceration. People who have safe housing, good jobs, and mental health support do not generally commit violent crimes. We need to invest in violence interruption and providing people with the support they need to not resort to crime, and other proactive measures such as getting guns off the street, preventing young people from getting involved with crime, and public health responses to drug use. Invest in Violence Interruption Violence interruption needs to become a core component of the District’s public safety strategy. We must send a clear message that violence will not be tolerated, but we do not need to be punitive to do so. Systemic injustices have led to a situation where the majority of violence in DC is committed by a small number of people, most living in extremely difficult circumstances. The people most likely to be perpetrators of violence are often struggling under the weight of poverty and complex intergenerational trauma, and are also those most likely to be the victims of violence themselves. DC should focus on providing these people with resources and opportunities that will deter them from violence using a relationship-based, violence interrupter approach. These efforts must include holistic wraparound services including job training, educational assistance, substance use care, housing, and mentoring.
I. PREVENTING VIOLENCE
Often, police and others working on behalf of the government are unable to build
productive relationships with those engaged in violence due to years of mistrust and
a lack of credibility within the community. Violence interrupters who come from and
are part of the communities they serve are best positioned to create trust and
provide the resources people need to stop committing violence. In 2021 alone, Cure
the Streets, the pilot violence interruption program from the DC Office of the
Attorney General, conducted approximately 82 mediations across the District and
helped prevent the escalation of violence. 3 DC’s program is still only a pilot, but
programs like it in other major cities have shown substantial promise. 4
We must increase our violence interruption efforts to meet the scale of the problem.
We cannot continue to rely on pilot programs and half-funding: we need robust
dedication and investment to violence interruption. The proposals in the
Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results (NEAR) Act are a strong start. I will
implement these not in half-measures, but with deep commitment. DC should
commit to professionalizing community-based violence interruption work and
providing long-term funding to maintain these services. Violence interrupters should
receive adequate pay, benefits and training. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
officers receive competitive compensation and have an in-depth training academy,
but no equivalent benefits and training exist for violence interrupters. If we value the
work violence interrupters do, DC needs to professionalize the positions more.
DC also has incredible community organizations that work tirelessly to end violence
and crime. We should do a better job ensuring these organizations are able to
access grants so they can expand their capacity. In addition, we can provide training
to build their accounting, data tracking, and other business capacity. DC government
should provide common training and goals.
3
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. (n.d.) “Cure the Streets: OAG’s Violence Interruption Program.”
Accessed January 10, 2022. Available: https://oag.dc.gov/public-safety/cure-streets-oags-violence-interruption-program
4
Urban Peace Institute. (n.d.) “Our History.” Accessed January 10, 2022. Available at
https://www.urbanpeaceinstitute.org/history.
6I. PREVENTING VIOLENCE
Combat the Circumstances that Lead to Violence
Deliberately racist and classist policy decisions, along with a history of discrimination
in housing, education, economic opportunities, and transportation have deprived
communities to the point where many feel like crime is their only option. While in the
short term we need to provide violence interruption services to those at most risk of
being a perpetrator or victim of violence, in the long term we must also invest in
combating circumstances such as poverty, housing instability, unemployment,
inadequate mental health care, and substance abuse, all of which contribute to
crime.
We need to improve our education and affordable housing systems. We also need to
invest in job training and vocational programs to offer people hope and opportunities
for self-determination outside of crime. Finally, we must expand emergency shelter
and support services.5
Get Guns Off the Street
Gun violence costs DC $1.1 billion every year, and the cost to families and
communities in lives lost is one that can’t be measured.6 We have placed too much
emphasis on aggressive police tactics that rarely recover guns, and on punitive
consequences for gun offenses and we have not seen the results we need. If we
want to reduce the number of guns in our communities, we need to address the
conditions that cause someone to use or feel the need to carry a gun. There are
clear, evidence-based ways to take action on this, including violence interruption
programs that work individually with the people most at-risk of violence to provide
them with the safety and security that they are using a gun to create.
5
Decentering Police to Improve Public Safety: A Report of the DC Police Reform Commission.” (2021, April 1). p. 34. Available
at https://dccouncil.us/police-reform-commission-full-report/.
6
Learn more about the Urban Peace Institute Project here: https://www.urbanpeaceinstitute.org/.
7I. PREVENTING VIOLENCE
Almost all of the illegal guns in DC come from neighboring states. 7 The District
should target illegal gun traffickers and work with our regional partners to stop the
flow of dangerous weapons into the District. We need more thorough tracking of
guns and ammunition used in crimes to determine their origin and prevent trafficking
from those sources in the future. We can work with Maryland and Virginia to create
interstate compacts and demand greater consequences for gun manufacturers that
allow guns to flow into our city.
Expand Mental Health Services
We need to address the deep trauma caused by the violence so many residents are
seeing every day. The trauma of violence carries dangerous long-term impacts that
we have left untreated and increases the likelihood people will become either a
perpetrator or victim of violence in the future. Addressing and treating this trauma
will be a necessary part of interrupting that cycle, especially in communities that
also deal with the trauma of systemic racism and economic discrimination. DC must
provide more mental health services and do so in culturally competent, accessible
ways.
One way DC can expand mental health services is by investing in community-based
organizations already providing low-cost or free therapy. We must particularly invest
in organizations designed to help children work through and develop appropriate
coping mechanisms for difficult emotions such as disappointment and grief.
It’s difficult to recognize the symptoms of trauma, especially for a person still
experiencing it. To address this, DC can require physicians to conduct a
depression/mental health screening survey at every visit, including providers like
7
Dvorak, P. (2019, October 7). “D.C. is awash in illegal guns. How do you think they get there?” The Washington Post.
Available at
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-is-awash-in-illegal-guns-how-do-you-think-they-get-there/2019/10/07/014
93180-e934-11e9-85c0-85a098e47b37_story.html.
8I. PREVENTING VIOLENCE
dentists and optometrists who don’t normally do so. The survey is usually simple but
can help catch issues early and provide help through therapy referral.
In addition, therapy remains stigmatized in many communities. DC needs a
government-wide mental health and trauma-awareness public education campaign
to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help.
Prevent Young People From Becoming Involved
with Crime
During the summer of 2021 we saw a series of high profile crimes committed by
young people.8 From car-jackings to robberies, it is clear our youth are desperate for
support and many are crying out for help. DC has not sufficiently allocated resources
towards trauma-informed care for young people, and we have failed to provide
many young people with opportunities for success.
Improving education for all students, particularly students of color and students with
special needs, will dramatically reduce violence. We also need to ensure young
people are taken care of when they are not in the school building. Youth crime
involvement is often a matter of not having something to do after school or on
weekends if parents are not home. Young people tell us all the time that they don’t
have enough activities outside of school. It’s time we listen.
DC needs to increase after-school and summer programming, youth sports, and
volunteer opportunities to make sure that students have a place to go when school
is not in session. In addition, DC needs to expand the number of recreation centers
staffed with child development experts and trusted adults to give kids a safe space
and a place to go when not in school, especially east of the Anacostia river.
8
King, C. (2021, July 16). “Opinion: Juvenile crime makes one thing clear: We are failing our children.” The Washington Post.
Available at
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/16/juvenile-crime-makes-one-thing-clear-we-are-failing-our-childr
en/.
9I. PREVENTING VIOLENCE
DC also needs to expand access to employment and vocational training for young
people so that kids can make money in legal and safe ways and see a future for
themselves outside of crime. We don’t have enough vocational opportunities for
students. We need to expand these programs so that kids who need these programs
most have access.
In addition, children who have a relationship with a trusted mentor are less likely to
engage in dangerous behavior.9 District-sponsored and community-based programs
for mentorship and one-on-one attention give young people more adults in their
lives to be accountable to and more adults who can support their successes and
progress. We need to find and train committed mentors who can build relationships
with and support young people.
Respond to Drug Use as a Public Health
Emergency
DC needs to reimagine our response to drug use. That starts with decriminalizing
drug possession so that people who use drugs are not discouraged from seeking
help. We should respond to addiction like any other illness: with treatment, not
punishment. Incarcerating people for addiction costs substantially more than
treatment while also separating and traumatizing families, and doing nothing to
solve the underlying problem. Between 2015 and 2018, an estimated 16,000 to
24,000 adults in the District who needed treatment for illicit drug use did not receive
it.10 Law enforcement’s primary responsibility when dealing with cases of drug
misuse should be to get the person counseling, Medication Assisted Treatment, or
other help.
9
DuBois, D. (2021, May 26). “Mentoring Programs for Youth: A Promising Intervention for Delinquency Prevention.” National
Institute of Justice. Available at
https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/mentoring-programs-youth-promising-intervention-delinquency-prevention.
10
“Decentering Police to Improve Public Safety: A Report of the DC Police Reform Commission.” (2021, April 1). p. 58. Available
at https://dccouncil.us/police-reform-commission-full-report/.
10I. PREVENTING VIOLENCE
DC can follow the lead of other jurisdictions and establish safe injection sites (also
known as overdose prevention sites). Instead of stigmatizing people who use drugs,
these sites provide a safe place to receive sterile needles, connect with treatment
options, and receive overdose prevention if necessary. These sites should also have
testing capabilities to determine if substances contain fentanyl, which is responsible
for a significant share of overdoses in DC. 11 DC also needs to continue to expand our
program providing Narcan (also known as Naloxone) and training to shelters to help
respond to overdoses quickly and save lives.
To help prevent addiction DC needs to invest in public education about the dangers
of synthetic drugs like fentanyl, as well as options for treatment and recovery. We
must work with public health agencies and community partners to bring these
resources to all our communities.
11
Grablick, C. (2021, December 7). “D.C. Area Set To Record Another Deadly Year For Opioid Overdoses.” WAMU. Available at
https://wamu.org/story/21/12/07/listen-opioid-overdose-fatalities-surge-dc-region-2021/.
11II. Responding to Crime
What stops people from committing crimes is knowing that they will be caught - not
knowing how harshly they might be punished. Right now, our priorities do not reflect
this reality. We have put too much focus on harsh punishments and not enough
focus on ensuring crimes are solved. Fewer than half of the serious crimes in DC get
solved in a given year, including fewer than 40% of homicides. 12
Holding perpetrators accountable is an important part of deterring future crime. This
means not just investing in police and ensuring they are equipped to do their jobs,
but also recognizing that police are only one part of a comprehensive public safety
apparatus.
Decenter Police from Crisis and Traffic Responses
Police are not equipped to handle every emergency and should not be expected to
do so. We need to make behavioral healthcare professionals the default response to
community members in crisis, just as many other jurisdictions across the country
have done.13 We need to expand DC’s existing pilot program for this and make it a
legitimate alternative to the police. We need a robust agency that is staffed 24/7
with mental health experts, social workers, and domestic violence advocates who
can more appropriately respond to 100% of these calls. This agency should
additionally be responsible for wellness checks which traditionally would have been
assigned to police officers.14
12
Sprouse, R. (2021, November 2). “DC has more than 100 open homicide cases this year.” WUSA-9. Available at
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/open-homicide-cases-dc-numbers-up-solve-rate-decreasing/65-976518f
8-d6e5-46ac-9da4-ecfad719f95a.
13
Ibid., p 15.
14
Ibid., p 16.II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
In instances of mental health crises or other behavioral healthcare emergencies
where there is a concern of violence or a weapon present, we need to implement a
co-response between behavioral health professionals and MPD officers who
specifically train and prepare for these situations. Working together, police and
trained healthcare professionals can more safely and effectively diffuse situations
and resolve them with the least amount of violence and harm.
In addition, there is no need for armed police officers to handle many aspects of
routine traffic enforcement. Any aspect of traffic and vehicle enforcement which
does not imminently threaten public safety should be handled by the DC
Department of Transportation. This will alleviate responsibilities we have placed on
police and allow them to focus on public safety while also preventing these
situations from escalating to violence as we have seen time after time. Something
like a broken tail light or parking violation does not need to be handled by police.
However, drunk driving or other direct threats to public safety should still fall under
the jurisdiction of MPD. We should prohibit police from making traffic stops that are
not responding to an immediate threat to public safety.
Reform Police Culture to Foster Positive
Relationships Between Communities and Police
A trustworthy police department is crucial for a safe city. When people do not trust
the police, they do not work with officers to solve crimes and may turn to violence to
address conflict and protect themselves from further victimization. Reconciliation
between communities and police must be initiated by the police, or it won’t happen.
Government leaders and police need to take accountability for past harm and
commit to listening to communities to determine how they can do better.
The culture change begins with how we train officers. The Metropolitan Police
Academy must teach officers the values we want them to hold, including critical
13II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
thinking, empathy, understanding, cultural competency, and anti-racism.
De-escalation and creative problem solving should be core components of police
training. Training on use-of-force standards should make it clear that any force used
must be necessary, reasonable, and proportional. Finally, officers should be trained
on adolescent development and adolescent-appropriate policing as children are
uniquely susceptible to intimidation and pressure and may give false statements
when in stressful situations.
Training also shouldn’t stop once officers graduate from the academy. Annual
refresher courses on topics such as bias, de-escalation, use-of-force, and other skills
should be both robust and mandatory for all officers. Officers should be held
accountable for failing to use these approaches during encounters. Additional
training on leadership and accountability should be given to officers seeking career
advancement.
We also need to foster a culture of active bystandership among officers. MPD officers
should be incentivized to hold each other accountable and report malfeasance by
their peers. Officers should be duty-bound to intervene when they see a peer
engaging in excessive force or otherwise failing to appropriately police. DC leaders
need to impose consequences for officers who misuse power as well as officers who
fail to intervene or are complicit in misconduct. These need to be clear in both legal
standards and MPD General Orders.
Our police officers need to be better integrated into our communities to encourage
trust and communication between the public and officers. One way we can do this is
to encourage officers to spend more time on foot in well-trafficked areas. By getting
out of their squad cars, police officers will feel more approachable and less
intimidating and will have more opportunities for positive interactions with the
people they are serving. We also cannot use punitive measures like tickets and
14II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
arrests as metrics for promotions and bonuses as it incentivizes confrontational
interactions where they may not otherwise occur. .
We can use the model of restorative justice to bring communities and police
together to discuss harms that have been committed and collectively find solutions
to collaborate peacefully and productively in the future. These discussions will
humanize both sides and allow for greater understanding of the other’s perspective
on both the side of the police and the community.
Finally, in order to create a healthy and safe environment for both officers and the
public, we need to address the significant stressors and trauma police officers face.
Many police officers have witnessed horrific events, and this is especially true after
the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Studies show that police officers are “at elevated
risk of anxiety, depression, PTSD, high blood pressure, substance abuse, suicidal
thinking, and other serious health issues.”15 We must address the trauma that officers
carry and provide them with mental health support. We need to reduce the stigma
surrounding mental health services and ensure that these services are accessible to
all officers. We need to have more on-staff, dedicated psychologists trained in
dealing with police trauma and who have the cultural competency necessary to
connect with officers. These resources should be accessible and should be
encouraged by police leadership.
Increase Transparency, Accountability, and
Oversight Over Police
Transparency is a core aspect of policing in a democratic society, but MPD does not
currently have a culture of transparency. 16 DC residents deserve regular and
thorough collection, maintenance, analysis, and publication of data.17 This includes
15
“Decentering Police to Improve Public Safety: A Report of the DC Police Reform Commission.” (2021, April 1). p. 24. Available
at https://dccouncil.us/police-reform-commission-full-report/.
16
Ibid., p. 13.
17
Ibid., p. 20.
15II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
data on stops, searches, arrests, and uses of force.18 MPD should use this data to
address weaknesses and flaws in the department. DC leaders should also use this
data as an accountability mechanism for MPD’s goals and performance.
Officers who have committed crimes on or off duty cannot be on the force without
compromising the integrity of the entire unit. MPD must stop purging records from
officers' personnel files. 19 We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to allegations of
violence, especially domestic violence, against officers. Harassment within the
department, including sexual assault, cannot be tolerated.
Eliminate Ineffectual and Dangerous Police Tactics
Police approaches to public safety need to limit violence, not contribute to it. MPD
should ban the use of no-knock warrants and jump-outs (when officers jump out of
unmarked cars to surround, stop, and search individuals without basis), and limit
quick-knock raids. All of these tactics often escalate situations. 20
Police methods such as sexually invasive searches, racial profiling, and all forms of
stop and frisks must be stopped. DC should also eliminate consent searches, which
are “warrantless searches permitted based solely on the consent of the individual
whose person or property is searched.” True consent cannot be given in the context
of a police interaction.21
While DC has made progress in banning some aggressive restraint tactics, there is
more to be done. MPD should ban all restraint tactics that can lead to asphyxiation
or serious injury. These tactics are unnecessary and can be replaced by less
dangerous alternatives. Specialized units that use aggressive tactics, such as MPD’s
18
Ibid.
19
Ibid., p 26.
20
ACLU of the District of Columbia. (2020, October 15). “Statement on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union of the
District of Columbia before the DC Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety Hearing on Bill 23-882, the
“Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2020,” by Monica Hopkins.” Available at
https://www.acludc.org/en/legislation/aclu-dc-testifies-dc-council-committee-comprehensive-police-and-justice-refor
m-amendment.
21
Ibid., p 20.
16II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
Crime Suppression Teams and Gun Recovery Unit, should be suspended until MPD
can prove they are more effective than regular patrol units. 22
In DC we have thousands of special police officers (SPOs) who “patrol specific
properties, such as public housing complexes and government buildings.”23 These
officers do not receive the requisite training to carry firearms and are not sworn
police officers, yet are often armed. DC should prohibit SPOs from carrying guns,24
and should also prohibit SPOs from “pursuing subjects beyond their jurisdictional
boundaries.”25
Finally, DC should permanently restrict the use of violent responses to protest. The
violence we saw aimed at protesters in the summer of 2020 was unacceptable and
must never be repeated. We need to severely limit the use of chemical weapons,
non-lethal projectiles such as rubber bullets, and riot gear. 26
Expand Diversion and Restorative Justice
Programs
Where appropriate, DC should create more alternatives to incarceration for those
instances where both the individual and the community would be better served by
referral to mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, or other
rehabilitative services. These diversions should be codified, not left up to
prosecutors to decide when they should be used. DC’s Alternatives to the Court
Experience (ACE) Diversion program has had great success doing this in the juvenile
justice system and we can bring the same success to the criminal justice space. 27
22
Ibid., p 21.
23
Manning, F., Mugler, J., Sulton, P. (2020, July). “More Than a Plaza: Disarm Special Police.” DC Justice Lab. Available at
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5edff6436067991288014c4c/t/5f15e7b04b00363cf15870a1/1595271088909/Disar
m+Special+Police.pdf.
24
Ibid.
25
“Decentering Police to Improve Public Safety: A Report of the DC Police Reform Commission.” (2021, April 1). p. 124.
Available at https://dccouncil.us/police-reform-commission-full-report/.
26
Ibid., p 211.
27
DC Department of Human Services. (n.d.) “Alternatives to the Court Experience (ACE) Diversion Program.” Accessed
January 10, 2022. Available at https://dhs.dc.gov/page/alternatives-court-experience-ace-diversion-program.
17II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
One alternative to incarceration is restorative justice, a practice in which survivors
and perpetrators of crime come together to discuss the harm committed and where
victims are centered in determining what needs to occur to remedy the harm. The
DC Office of the Attorney General has had great success implementing restorative
justice practices with young people. DC should increase investment in these
programs and expand them to other appropriate arenas.
The trauma that communities experience when their loved ones are incarcerated
cannot be overstated.28 We can reduce this trauma not just by investing in crime
prevention, but by expanding alternatives to incarceration and not relying on
excessively long sentences. Our goals in seeking accountability should not
exclusively be punishment, but making communities safer by reducing the chances
of recidivism.
Abolish Mandatory Minimums
DC needs to abolish all mandatory minimum sentences in the DC Code. Mandatory
minimums prevent judges from considering the full circumstances of a case and
delivering sentences that are appropriate to the needs of both the community and
the individual. Mandatory minimums have had a severely disproportionate impact on
communities of color, and are incompatible with a system that seeks to achieve
racial justice.29 People don’t make a rational cost-benefit analysis before committing
crimes, so mandatory minimums do little to deter crime but significantly interfere
with judges’ ability to exercise discretion.
28
Martin, E. (2017, March 1). “Hidden Consequences: The Impact of Incarceration on Dependent Children.” National Institute of
Justice. Available at https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/hidden-consequences-impact-incarceration-dependent-children.
29
Brennan, J., Meyer, M., Scholar, B. (2021, January). “Repeal Mandatory Minimums.” DC Justice Lab. Available at
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5edff6436067991288014c4c/t/601715b1205307710b8d67e4/1612125617249/Repe
al+All+Mandatory+Minimum+Statutes.pdf.
18II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
Treat Children as Children
DC needs to follow the lead of DC Attorney General Karl Racine and continue to
reform our juvenile justice system to better serve the unique circumstances of
young people who commit crimes. Children and adolescents' brains are still
developing, and young people have incredible potential to be rehabilitated and
rejoin the community as productive members. We all do better off when they do.
Currently, the US Attorney’s office can unilaterally decide to charge some children as
adults, without a judge’s independent assessment of whether this is appropriate or
necessary. In practice, children of color are much more likely to be treated as if they
are adults.30 We must follow scientific evidence and keep most children under the
age of 21 in the juvenile system that can better meet their needs. 31 Children under
the age of 18 should not be charged as if they are adults and people between the
ages of 18 and 21 should only be charged as adults after an individualized
assessment of the facts of the case. DC should also expand our investment in
diversion and restorative justice programs specifically aimed at children.
Address Inhumane Conditions of Incarceration
The conditions in the DC Jail are inhumane and unacceptable. For years, we have
heard reports of food denial and highly unsanitary living conditions. During the
COVID-19 pandemic, the DC Jail failed to provide adequate medical care and stop
the spread of the virus, leading the ACLU of DC to sue the DC Department of
Corrections (DOC).32 I saw these conditions first-hand when visiting my brother in the
early 2000s. It was not until the January 6th insurrectionists housed in DC Jail
complained about these conditions that we saw federal intervention and
30
Fenston, J. (2021, June 30). “New Bill Aims To Keep D.C. Teens Out Of Adult Justice System.” DCist. Available at
https://dcist.com/story/21/06/30/new-bill-aims-to-keep-dc-teens-out-of-adult-justice-system/.
31
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. (2021, June 30). “AG Racine Introduces Legislation to Reform the
District's Juvenile Justice System.” Available at
https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-introduces-legislation-reform-districts.
32
ACLU of the District of Columbia. (2021, November 3). “ACLU-DC Statement on Inhumane Conditions Inside D.C. Jail.”
Available at https://www.acludc.org/en/press-releases/aclu-dc-statement-inhumane-conditions-inside-dc-jail.
19II. RESPONDING TO CRIME
widespread outrage. We need to treat the predominantly Black and Brown DC
residents incarcerated in DC Jail, who have been ignored for far too long, with basic
human dignity and respect.
The unacceptable treatment of people in DC Jail increases trauma and leads to
difficulties reintegrating into the community, which in turn can lead to recidivism.
While DOC has made progress in expanding the programming DC Jail offers,
leadership has neglected basic day-to-day operations and tolerated a culture of
abuse. DOC must provide safe, humane, and dignified treatment of the people in its
care.
DC Jail should also not be the only option for pre-trial detention. Judges need an
option for when neither incarceration nor return home are appropriate pre-trial
options. The District needs to establish halfway houses for people to live pre-trial to
allow people to maintain the relationships and employment pending trial.
DC also does not currently have a local prison, which means Washingtonians who
are convicted of felony crimes are transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons
hundreds or thousands of miles away. These distant locations make visitation nearly
impossible and, as Robert Barton, co-founder of More Than Our Crimes, put it,
“severs ties with your whole community.” 33 This is deeply traumatic for both the
incarcerated person as well as their family and support systems. It also undermines
public safety by fraying the relationships necessary for successful reentry and
making people more likely to recidivate. Placing people in the federal system for DC
crimes also means that District leaders have no control over the conditions in which
people are confined, and no way to address systemic abuses. DC needs to create a
local prison that works to rehabilitate people who are incarcerated and which allows
people to maintain relationships with their support networks. This will result in better
rehabilitation and transitions to productive lives after incarceration.
33
More Than Our Crimes. (n.d.) “The Case for a D.C. Prison.” Available at
https://morethanourcrimes.org/the-case-for-a-dc-prison/.
20III. Recovering From Crime When crime does occur, it is crucial that we respond holistically to treat the needs of those victimized. In too many situations, victims have very little government support or are not made aware of the support they are entitled to. We must center the needs of victims and help them recover from harm. We also must ensure that our criminal justice system creates opportunities for healing and redemption, and that it prepares people for reentry into our communities and supports them when they do so. This will reduce recidivism and allow returning citizens to become contributing members of our community. Expand Rights and Resources for Survivors DC needs to increase the services and attention we pay to the survivors of crimes and ensure that their needs and perspectives are prioritized in our criminal justice system. Not only is this our moral duty, but since “hurt people hurt people,” allowing crime survivors the opportunities and resources necessary to heal will interrupt the cycles of violence that too often repeat themselves in our city. DC should increase investments in the Office of Victim Services, which provides resources to help people recover from crime. Domestic violence survivors in particular need robust wrap-around services in order to recover from trauma. Wait lists for DC-run therapy services are impossibly long. DC should help community organizations build capacity to provide these crucial services in a culturally competent and accessible manner.
III. RECOVERING FROM CRIME
As previously discussed, our emergency response system can not solely consist of
police. DC needs trained mental health counselors and first responders who are able
to address the immediate needs of survivors in the aftermath of violence. First
responders’ engagement with survivors should be compassionate and aware of
cultural differences that may determine how a person views a situation. All first
responders and city responders should be trained in cultural sensitivity and
competence.
Ensure Effective Re-entry for Returning Citizens
One of my priorities in office has been to increase the services we provide to
returning citizens. The District is home to more than 60,000 formerly incarcerated
people, and if we want to improve public safety and see returning citizens establish
a stable life for themselves and their families, we need to improve the level of
services provided.34 This is personal to me as I saw my own brother struggle with the
reentry process, despite having relative privilege in terms of stable family
relationships and strong support system. I am incredibly proud of the progress DC
has made and I look forward to continuing this crucial work.
We must begin the process of engaging with incarcerated residents long before
they come home and take proactive steps to ensure people are able to smoothly
transition home. This will include making sure that incarcerated residents have
access to effective vocational and life skills programs. It also will involve working
with federal and local agencies to help returning citizens acquire government
identification, benefits, and other government support as soon as they return to the
community.
34
Robinson, C. (2021, March 18). “The D.C. Reentry Navigator: Empowering You To Succeed With A D.C. Criminal Record.” The
Public Defender Service of the District of Columbia. Available at
https://www.pdsdc.org/docs/default-source/d.c.-reentry-navigator/the-d-c-reentry-navigator-empowering-you-to-succ
eed-with-a-d-c-criminal-record_1.pdf.
22III. RECOVERING FROM CRIME
Once people are released, DC should increase the efficacy and funding of job
training programs and incentivize employers to hire returning citizens. In 2020, I
restored the Paralegal Fellowship Initiative to get returning citizens trained and
employed as paralegals. We need more programs like this one and greater
collaboration with the Department of Employment Services and local employers.
We need to expand public outreach and education on the District’s Ban the Box
legislation, and establish automatic expungement of decriminalized offenses and
non-convictions to expedite the time in which records are eligible for
expungement.35
DC also needs to establish returning citizen liaison positions in District agencies and
improve our case management system which connects returning citizens to
available resources and services. These services need to include robust mental
health support to counter the trauma that comes from incarceration and gun
violence. To the extent possible, these programs should be run by returning citizens
themselves. After hearing from returning citizens that a lack of government
identification and transportation were barriers to their success, I pioneered programs
to ensure returning citizens get government identification and a transportation
subsidy when they return home. When we center the voices of returning citizens, we
learn where people get stuck and how to fix those issues.
Housing is crucial to successful reentry. Halfway houses help returning citizens
reintegrate into communities and move towards stable lives, but since the closure of
Hope Village, the District does not have a halfway house for men. 36 As we design our
system of reentry, we should ensure there are multiple halfway houses throughout
the District. Instead of having one large halfway house, several smaller ones
throughout the District will help people stay close to their families and communities,
35
DC Justice Lab. “The Record Expungement Simplification To Offer Relief and Equity (RESTORE) Act of 2021.” Available at
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5edff6436067991288014c4c/t/60671423d14ac278e98ad6f4/1617368099158/RES
TORE+Act+One+Pager.pdf.
36
Lerner, K. (2020, April 23). “Closure Of D.C.’S Only Men’s Halfway House Leaves Residents Scrambling For A Safe Place To
Live.” The Appeal. Available at https://theappeal.org/hope-village-washington-dc-only-halfway-house-closure/.
23III. RECOVERING FROM CRIME
and increase individualized attention for residents who need intense assistance as
they navigate their first days home and start working through their plans for success.
We also need more than just halfway housing. Returning citizens are coming home
to an affordable housing crisis. This instability, if not addressed, can lead to
recidivism. We need to create or set aside housing that is practical and sustainable
for residents returning home.37
Finally, I am incredibly proud to have sponsored first in the nation legislation to
return voting rights to all incarcerated Washingtonians. This is an issue of civil rights
and democracy, and also helps returning citizens retain their role as members of the
community who have a say in District policy even while incarcerated. Our next step
must be increasing awareness of this legislative change among incarcerated
residents.
37
Justice Policy Institute. (2021, July). “Voices for Reform in DC: Recommendations for improving reentry following long
prison terms.” Justice Policy Institute. Available at
https://justicepolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Voices-for-Reform-in-DC-2021.pdf.
24Conclusion
No community can thrive when violence is taking place. DC’s leaders need to do
more to prevent violence from happening, respond to violence in culturally aware
and trauma-informed ways, and help communities and individuals recover from
violence and incarceration.
There are simple and straightforward ways we can do this, but right now DC’s
leaders are relying on strategies that are clearly not working. Four years of
consecutive increases in homicides and now an 18-year record for homicides is not
the direction DC should be headed.
The strategies included here are a map for what DC can and should do differently to
build community safety from the grassroots up. I welcome your questions,
conversation, and partnership in this effort that is so important for all of us.
Sincerely,
Robert White
Candidate for DC Mayor
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