How do we get the USAO to do their jobs and put career criminals in prison?

[Anonymous]

The performance of the DC USAO is completely out of step with other major D cities

[Anonymous]

Prior to 2017, the performance of the DC USAO was in line with other D cities and prosecution rates were consistent under USAs appointed by both Dem and Republican presidents. Since 2017, under USAs appointed by Obama, Trump and Biden, the no paper rate has climbed higher and higher.

The consistent factor is likely ideologically driven career prosecutors, the heads of the office have changed. Many with no criminal experience are detailed there from other fed agencies for 1 year stints, so, it's likely that a few hold a lot of sway.

Problems like the lab have existed off and on so can't be determining factors. When put under pressure, all things being equal, this USAO can boost numbers.

Graves was called to a hearing before the Congressional Committee that oversees DC, perhaps a hearing by the Committee that oversees DOJ might be productive. Also, adjusting job performance metrics so that pleading down and settling is not rewarded seems useful. Right now they are dinged for losing trials thus more challenging cases are plead down to a ridiculous degree.

It may also be a positive to detail senior attorneys with a lot of criminal justice experience to try to impact the culture in the office and get it on a different track. The story goes that a cohort of old timers who were balls to the wall re: even marginal cases all retired around the same time. That sort of approach needs to be reinstalled.

[Anonymous]

Anyone else wonder who DC Crime Facts is? Guesses?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else wonder who DC Crime Facts is? Guesses?

No.

But it's not surprising that people who don't like the message would want to dox the messenger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else wonder who DC Crime Facts is? Guesses?

No.

But it's not surprising that people who don't like the message would want to dox the messenger.

Meh, it's natural to want to know who anonymous people are. I'm very supportive of what he/she has written/suggested, and have the same idle curiosity!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else wonder who DC Crime Facts is? Guesses?

No.

But it's not surprising that people who don't like the message would want to dox the messenger.

I read his account and substack regularly and have posted it here. So, you are completely and utterly wrong.

[Anonymous]

For those who have not seen this clip, USA Matt Graves literally tried to claim at an ANC meeting in March 2022 that he could not release stats re: prosecution of the most serious crimes because they did not keep them. Of course, when demanded by Congress, they were produced. And were such an outlier as a D city and it's obvious why they tried to hide them as long as possible. How do we get back to how the USAO functioned, consistently, under D & R appointed USA, prior to 2016. At that time the prosecution rate was @ 70% by USAO. It's not just Graves himself, the no paper rate has risen under Obama, Trump and Biden and a series of USAs.

[Anonymous]

I wish the DC Crime Facts account was leading to actual change. Besides one hearing on the Hill and USAO being required to release stats, unfortunately not much else has happened. That hearing was by the committee with oversight over DC, a hearing by the committee with oversight over DOJ is urgently needed, perhaps a joint hearing.

[Anonymous]

This is such performative BS. DOJ needs feet held to fire by Congress to address the ongoing issues at DC USAO. When it suits for political purposes, paper rate briefly increases, then immediately drops again.

Since so many of the prosecutors are detailed, sending people with experience and seniority, rather than the untrained and easily influenced, may be necessary to right the ship. There may be a need to clear out the ideologically driven so that those who value public safety can play the largest role in the office culture.

[Anonymous]

Not only Baltimore, but even DETROIT is on a very different track than DC, with crime plummeting. How do they do it? Welp, pretty much the opposite of most things in DC.

Happy for them but also envious and frustrated.

[Anonymous]

Apparently January 6 prosecutions are consuming a lot of the resources of the DC USAO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apparently January 6 prosecutions are consuming a lot of the resources of the DC USAO

I don't think many people realize how important this is. USAOs are spread thin throughout the country--that is particularly true in DC where an incredible amount of limited resources are necessarily devoted to J6 prosecutions.

Th real issue, in my opinion, is statehood. Without statehood, there is no parallel local prosecutor (elected by and accountable to local voters) to handle traditional state-level crimes such as armed robbery and carjacking. The OAG does not fill the role that local prosecutors do everywhere else in the country.

[Anonymous]

So J6 is responsible for the uptick in DC crime. Makes sense...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apparently January 6 prosecutions are consuming a lot of the resources of the DC USAO

Graves has claimed this is NOT true and it's something like 3% of resources. Others are brought in to prosecute is my understanding. The no paper rate was sky high, one of the highest in the country, well before Jan 6th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Apparently January 6 prosecutions are consuming a lot of the resources of the DC USAO

I don't think many people realize how important this is. USAOs are spread thin throughout the country--that is particularly true in DC where an incredible amount of limited resources are necessarily devoted to J6 prosecutions.

Th real issue, in my opinion, is statehood. Without statehood, there is no parallel local prosecutor (elected by and accountable to local voters) to handle traditional state-level crimes such as armed robbery and carjacking. The OAG does not fill the role that local prosecutors do everywhere else in the country.

Prior to 2017, DC did not have statehood and prosecution rates were stable and at over 70%, well in line with other D cities.