Kamala Harris in Brennan Center for Justice essays

On Crime: Imprison violent criminals, not the non-violent

For several decades, tough laws and long sentences have created the illusion that public safety is best served when we treat all offenders the same way: arrest, convict, incarcerate, and hope they somehow learn their lesson. But the majority of prisoners are serving time for nonviolent offenses--what I call the base of the "crime pyramid." At the top of the pyramid are the most serious and violent crimes, which are committed far less often but should demand most of our attention in law enforcement. At the base of the pyramid are the vast majority of crimes committed, which are nonviolent & nonserious.

Crime is not a monolith. Instead of a one-size-fits-all justice system, [we must] focus on the top of the pyramid and avoid treating all offenders the same. This approach has three pillars: maintain a relentless focus on reducing violence and prosecuting violent criminals, identify key points in the lives of young offenders to stop the escalation of criminal behavior, and support victims of crime.

Source: Brennan Center for Justice essays, p. 37-8 Apr 28, 2015

On Drugs: Back on Track: re-entry instead of incarceration for drugs

In 2005, as district attorney of San Francisco, I put this strategy to the test when we created "Back on Track," a comprehensive reentry initiative for first-time, nonviolent drug offenders. The initiative focused on personal responsibility by holding offenders accountable for their behavior. In exchange, participants engaged in intensive reentry, life skills training, and education and employment opportunities to reduce the alarmingly high chance that they would resume a life of crime upon their release.

Back on Track worked. The re-offense rate for participants was 10%, compared to 54% for non-participants who had committed the same types of crime. Taxpayer savings were significant. The program cost less than $5,000 per person, compared to the $43,000 it cost to house an offender in jail for one year.

We were honored that the U.S. Department of Justice designated Back on Track as a model for law enforcement.7

Source: Brennan Center for Justice essays, p. 39 Apr 28, 2015

The above quotations are from SOLUTIONS American Leaders Speak Out on Criminal Justice Brennan Center for Justice essays Edited by Inimai Chettiar and Michael Waldman. Click here for other excerpts from SOLUTIONS American Leaders Speak Out on Criminal Justice Brennan Center for Justice essays Edited by Inimai Chettiar and Michael Waldman. Click here for other excerpts by Kamala Harris. Click here for a profile of Kamala Harris.
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