Sieve is a good metaphor. There was another chart in the same Twitter thread showing arrests are down too. That is likely due to funding/resource constraints and in response to very few misdemeanors being prosecuted. Not a good use of scarcer resources to pursue a misdemeanor arrest that is likely to go nowhere and info that tracks with anecdotal reports of MPD being reluctant to take reports in some instances. No one in DC govt has any control over USAO at all. The USAO is appointed by the president and staff and funding are DOJ. Congress has oversight. Prosecution, or not, of juveniles by DC AG is a different matter under the Home Rule law. The DC AG is elected and that office DOES respond to FOIAs. It would be interesting to see a similar graph of their prosecution rates over time, but handing juvenile crime is very differnet. More go to diversion programs, for example. |
| Lower prosecution is not likely due to triaging stronger cases, the rate of "wins" is pretty much the same per the creater of the chart, backed by data. |
| Denise Krebbs has tried to get a breakout of rapes and homicides and prosecution data from USAO for years. Congress got those numbers once. The graph above is based on more generally reported data by DOJ. |
|
It is clearly a gross oversimplification to blame DC’s entire crime problem on Charles Allen.
Charles Allen’s reputation with DC voters might improve if he were to be more vocal about the issue, and prioritize solutions acceptable to his constituency. |
Come on Jeff. Yes, I expect my elected officials to try to use their power to change policy in DC, including federal policy. You are creating a giant straw man. Nobody said Charles Allen has direct and independent control over this stuff. But obviously he has influence. If your argument is “Charles Allen can’t do anything about public safety!!!” that does not seem to be a ringing endorsement. And also - we KNOW he approves of the decrease in prosecutions. |
Yup. I wonder how much help Charles Allen has given her? |
He certainly helped move the Ward 7 boundary to include her house. |
Mmmm, that was a group effort, but yes. |
|
Prosecutions are down. Progressive liberal policies and prosecutors have helped encourage lower prosecution rates.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/06/myth-progressive-prosecutor-justice-reform/619141/ |
Charles Allen has no more power over Federal policy than any other DC resident, which is none. So, yes, Charles Allen can't do anything about Federal public safety policy. Are you just now learning this? |
This is truly absurd. So your belief is that Charles Allen has no accountability for crime in DC because there is a federal role? When you know *full well* that he likely thinks the declines in prosecution is a good thing. |
No serious person could interpret my post in this manner. When you are prepared to have a serious discussion, let me know. Until then, I won't waste my time. |
What are you trying to say? As far as I can tell, you’re trying to use the fact that the feds have power over prosecuting felonies as some sort of gotcha to prove that Charles Allen has no responsibility for addressing crime in DC. Or you’re using it because you’re making up a strawman that Charles Allen’s opponents are completely wrong because they claim he is solely responsible for criminal justice policies in DC. Both of those are absurd. And you’re wrong on this particular example anyway. US atty prosecution policy *is* susceptible to political pressure, including by the DC Council. To believe otherwise is just a frankly ignorant take on politics. And there is one person in W6 who has engaged in pushing those pressure points - Denise Krepp - and she is a pariah to progressives including CA. |
I said what I am trying to say pretty clearly in an earlier post: the main point that I think should be understood is that crime and justice in DC are complex and not as simple as the "It's Charles Allen's fault" posters would have us believe. What should be a funnel from arrests to jail has become a sieve that is leaking at every stage. If or when you are prepared to address the substance of what I actually post rather than straw men that you create, I'll respond further. |
Do you actually believe that those of us criticizing Charles Allen don’t realize the issues are complex, or that we don’t know the AUSA prosecuted felonies here? Maybe you’re not really ready for this discussion. |