Los Angeles cracks down on crime.
By Anna Gu | Daily Bruin
Jan. 22, 2025 11:09 p.m.
Los Angeles residents are calling for a tougher stance on crime after four years of progressive policies.
Nathan Hochman and incumbent George Gascón ran a tight race for the position of LA County’s district attorney in the 2024 general election, with the two candidates campaigning opposing visions for LA’s crime and public safety policies. Hochman’s victory reflects a shift in Californians’ prioritization of public safety over criminal justice reform following a nationwide trend.
The DA, also called the prosecutor, is responsible for ensuring impartiality in the county’s criminal justice system, Jonathan Raven, the assistant CEO of California District Attorneys Association, said. The DA not only shapes local criminal justice policy but also represents the state or federal government in criminal cases, determining the way cases are investigated, charged and addressed.
As an elected position, the DA’s decisions should reflect public sentiment toward criminal justice and public safety, Raven added.
Gascón met the moment when he stepped into office in 2020. Amid the national denouncement of racial injustice and police brutality following the death of George Floyd, Gascón’s pledge to roll back harsh law enforcement made him the “godfather” of progressive prosecutors, according to the LA Times.
