The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors dropped a controversial "decarceration" plan that would free a large number of inmates.
The agenda item, due to be discussed in a Tuesday hearing, aimed to "reaffirm the Board’s commitment to depopulate and decarcerate," using a variety of means, the most controversial of which would require law enforcement to "cite and release individuals with aggregate bail amounts set at $50,000 or below" and "adopt a zero-bail schedule for individuals accused of low-level offenses, infractions, misdemeanors, and some felony offenses." It was introduced by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath.
LOS ANGELES FLOATS 'DECARCERATION' POLICY TO RELEASE LARGE NUMBER OF INMATES
After heavy criticism, Solis announced that she would withdraw the proposal, citing "concerns from a variety of stakeholders." In a statement obtained by the Washington Examiner, she explained her intentions behind the proposal and why she was withdrawing it.
"I introduced the motion on 'Los Angeles County to Take Actionable Next Steps to Depopulate and Decarcerate the Los Angeles County Jails' as a way to strike a balance with both justice-involved advocates and public safety representatives. Additionally, with the federal consent decrees and settlement agreements, including a potential receivership from the State, I felt this move was necessary. The intention behind my motion was for the Board of Supervisors to use the limited authority it has to safely depopulate," she said, going on to list some of her proposals in the agenda item.
"Nonetheless, since the motion was published, my office has received concerns from a variety of stakeholders — those who feel the motion is not doing enough and those who feel it is doing too much," she continued. "To that end, I will be referring the motion back to my office so that I can continue to gather input from all stakeholders. We must help balance the needs of public safety while also getting into compliance with our federal obligations. And in that process, I ask that County departments and agencies help us with meeting the need of our most vulnerable."
She added that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors only has partial jurisdiction over the county's prisons, with most authority lying with the Los Angeles Superior Court, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff.
When reached for comment, Horvath directed the Washington Examiner to Solis's statement.
The withdrawn proposal came under extensive criticism, particularly from the vice president of the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys, Eric Siddall, who said it would lead to an increase in crime and complained that the agenda item had been added without the input of stakeholders.
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"The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ motion to gut parts of the criminal justice system without input from stakeholders is dangerous and recklessness," he told Fox News. "The authors sought no advice from those who know and understand public safety issues. They seek to lower the jail population without addressing the root causes of crime or protecting the public."
The push came as crime, including violent crime, has risen in the past few years, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis found that crime increased 11% in 2022, with 60 reported crimes per 1,000 residents, compared to 2021, which saw 54 crimes per 1,000 residents. In some areas, crime has skyrocketed; downtown experienced 372 crimes per 1,000 residents in 2022.