Attorney General Kamala Harris: Innovation & Evolution in our Criminal Justice System

Summary

The speaker, a career prosecutor, emphasizes the need for reform in the criminal justice system, advocating for a 'smart on crime' approach that balances public safety with civil liberties. Born into a family of civil rights activists, the speaker shares their journey into law enforcement, highlighting the importance of metrics and innovation in addressing crime. They call for societal support for law enforcement to experiment with new methods, akin to Silicon Valley's acceptance of innovation with its risks and rewards, to improve outcomes in the justice system.

Takeaways

• 🎤 The speaker is a career prosecutor and emphasizes the importance of criminal justice reform.
• 🏛 The speaker's background includes a family history of activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which influenced their career choice.
• 🤔 The speaker challenges the dichotomy of being 'soft' or 'tough' on crime, advocating for a 'smart on crime' approach.
• 📊 The need for metrics and data to assess the effectiveness of criminal justice policies is highlighted.
• 🛡️ The speaker argues that law enforcement should be a voice for the vulnerable and ensure both safety and dignity.
• 🚀 The concept of innovation in law enforcement is discussed, with an emphasis on trying new methods and being willing to accept initial failures as part of the process.
• 🧩 The speaker points out the difference between focusing on individual criminal cases versus addressing the broader crime problem.
• 🔒 Acknowledging that crime does occur and that there is a need for severe consequences for serious and violent crimes is essential for any reform.
• 🏫 The speaker criticizes the simplistic 'build more schools, not jails' approach, arguing for a more nuanced understanding of crime and its solutions.
• 🤝 The importance of involving law enforcement in the reform process is stressed, as they are part of the system that needs to be improved.
• 🌐 The adoption of technology in law enforcement is identified as a key area for innovation and improvement.

Q & A

What is the speaker's background and why did they decide to become a prosecutor?

The speaker is a career prosecutor and the child of parents who were active in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. They were inspired by figures like Thurgood Marshall and decided to become a lawyer at a young age. After attending Howard University and graduating from Hastings Law School, they chose to become a prosecutor to have a direct and profound impact on the most vulnerable in society, aiming to be a voice for the vulnerable and to provide safety and dignity.

How does the speaker view the role of law enforcement in society?

The speaker sees law enforcement as having a crucial role in protecting the vulnerable and ensuring public safety. They believe that law enforcement should not only be about punishment but also about providing dignity and addressing the root causes of crime, such as education, job training, and mental health.

What is the speaker's perspective on the current state of criminal justice policy?

The speaker believes that the status quo in criminal justice policy is not working and that there is a need for reform. They argue against the false dichotomy of being either 'soft on crime' or 'tough on crime,' suggesting instead that the focus should be on being 'smart on crime,' which involves using metrics and data to assess the effectiveness of policies.

What does the speaker suggest is a better approach to criminal justice reform?

The speaker suggests that criminal justice reform should focus on being 'smart on crime,' which means using data and metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of policies. They also emphasize the need to consider the broader context of crime, rather than focusing solely on individual cases.

How does the speaker relate innovation to the field of law enforcement and criminal justice?

The speaker relates innovation to law enforcement and criminal justice by suggesting that new approaches and methods should be tried out, similar to how innovations are tested in other fields. They argue that there should be an acceptance of the possibility of initial failures or 'glitches,' with the understanding that these can be learned from and improved upon.

What is the speaker's view on the potential risks associated with innovative approaches in law enforcement?

The speaker acknowledges that there are risks associated with innovative approaches in law enforcement, such as the possibility that a low-level offender might commit a serious crime after being given a less punitive approach. However, they argue that the potential benefits of innovation, such as improved outcomes and more effective use of resources, outweigh these risks.

What is the speaker's stance on the relationship between civil liberties and public safety?

The speaker argues against the false choice between civil liberties and public safety. They believe that it is possible to balance both, and that a smart approach to crime would consider the needs and rights of individuals while also ensuring public safety.

How does the speaker describe the current approach to crime in the criminal justice system?

The speaker describes the current approach to crime as a 'one size fits all' approach, which they believe is ineffective. They argue that crime is not monolithic and that different types of crime should be treated differently, with a focus on understanding the underlying causes and addressing them.

What is the speaker's view on the role of technology in law enforcement and criminal justice?

The speaker sees technology as a crucial tool in law enforcement and criminal justice, emphasizing the need for law enforcement agencies to adopt modern technology to improve communication, data collection, and overall effectiveness. They argue that technology can help in implementing and measuring the success of criminal justice policies.

What is the speaker's advice for those involved in law enforcement and criminal justice reform?

The speaker advises those involved in law enforcement and criminal justice reform to embrace innovation, be open to trying new approaches, and to involve law enforcement leaders in the process. They also stress the importance of community involvement and the need for a collective effort to address the crime problem effectively.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Background and Commitment to Criminal Justice Reform

The speaker begins by expressing honor at being on stage with a distinguished panel and commends the Chicago Ideas Festival for assembling such talent. Acknowledging the challenges and the need for reform in criminal justice policy, the speaker introduces their background as a career prosecutor and child of civil rights activists. They recount their upbringing surrounded by adults advocating for justice and their decision to become a lawyer at a young age. The speaker emphasizes the importance of law enforcement's role in protecting the vulnerable and providing safety with dignity. They advocate for a 'smart on crime' approach that assesses the effectiveness of criminal justice policy and rejects the binary choice between being soft or tough on crime.

05:00

🚔 Embracing Risk in Law Enforcement Innovation

The speaker discusses the inherent risks of innovation in law enforcement, particularly the fear of negative outcomes when trying new approaches with low-level offenders. They stress the importance of societal support for such innovation, drawing parallels with the culture of Silicon Valley, where failure is seen as an opportunity for improvement. The speaker criticizes the traditional approach to elected office, which often prioritizes adherence to a plan over flexibility and adaptation. They argue for a shift in focus from individual criminal cases to a broader understanding of crime as a societal issue, advocating for a more nuanced approach to criminal justice policy.

10:03

🔒 The Complexities of Crime and Public Perception

The speaker addresses the complexities of crime and the public's perception of criminal justice, highlighting the need to differentiate between violent and nonviolent crimes. They critique the 'build more schools, less jails' slogan, arguing that it oversimplifies the issue and fails to acknowledge the reality of serious crimes that require severe consequences. The speaker emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach that recognizes the need for both social programs and a robust criminal justice system. They also stress the need for a detailed understanding of the criminal justice system to identify areas for improvement.

15:05

🛠️ The Role of Technology in Modernizing Law Enforcement

In the final paragraph, the speaker focuses on the importance of technology in modernizing law enforcement and improving communication within the system. They share personal experiences from their time as a district attorney, noting the slow adoption of basic technology and the potential for technology to enhance effectiveness. The speaker calls for public-private partnerships to support the adoption of technology in law enforcement, arguing that it will ultimately save money and improve outcomes. They conclude by emphasizing the need for community involvement, including law enforcement leaders, in reforming the criminal justice system and pursuing innovation.

Keywords

💡Criminal Justice Policy

Criminal justice policy refers to the set of principles and rules that guide the administration of justice in a society, including law enforcement, courts, and corrections. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the need for reform in this area, stating that the status quo is not working and suggesting a shift towards a more 'smart on crime' approach that balances public safety with civil liberties.

💡Career Prosecutor

A career prosecutor is an individual who has dedicated their professional life to the prosecution of criminal cases. The speaker identifies as a career prosecutor, highlighting their extensive experience and the perspective this gives them on the criminal justice system, including the direct impact of law enforcement on vulnerable populations.

💡Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement was a struggle for social justice in the United States, primarily during the 1950s and 1960s, aimed at ending racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. The speaker's parents were active in this movement, which influenced the speaker's own commitment to justice and the decision to become a lawyer.

💡Smart on Crime

The term 'smart on crime' suggests a strategic and efficient approach to criminal justice that focuses on evidence-based practices and data-driven decision-making. The speaker advocates for this approach as an alternative to the traditional binary view of being 'soft' or 'tough' on crime, emphasizing the importance of metrics and the return on investment in criminal justice.

💡Vulnerable Populations

Vulnerable populations are groups that are disproportionately affected by societal issues, such as poverty, crime, or lack of access to resources. The speaker mentions the responsibility of law enforcement to be a voice for these populations and to provide both safety and dignity, reflecting a concern for social equity within the criminal justice system.

💡Public Safety

Public safety refers to the protection of the general public from harm, typically through the enforcement of laws and regulations. The speaker discusses the false dichotomy between public safety and civil liberties, suggesting that a 'smart on crime' approach can enhance public safety without compromising rights.

💡Innovation

Innovation in the context of the video refers to the introduction of new methods, ideas, or devices to improve existing processes or systems. The speaker calls for innovation in law enforcement and criminal justice to address the shortcomings of the current system and to pursue more effective and efficient practices.

💡Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon, which can be tested through experimentation. The speaker uses the term to draw a parallel between the scientific method and the approach to innovation in law enforcement, suggesting that new strategies should be tested, refined, and iterated upon based on outcomes.

💡Mundane

The mundane refers to the ordinary or everyday aspects of life or work. The speaker emphasizes the importance of focusing on the mundane details of implementing policy changes, such as the adoption of technology in law enforcement, to ensure that broad policy goals are effectively realized.

💡Technology Adoption

Technology adoption refers to the process by which new technologies are integrated into existing systems or workflows. The speaker highlights the need for law enforcement to embrace technology to improve communication, efficiency, and effectiveness, noting that this is crucial for modernizing the criminal justice system.

💡Community

In the video, the term 'community' is used to refer to the collective effort required to reform the criminal justice system. The speaker argues that it will take the involvement of law enforcement leaders, policymakers, and the public to create meaningful change, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and shared responsibility.

Highlights

Honoring the esteemed panel and the Chicago Ideas Festival for assembling talent to address criminal justice challenges.

Acknowledging the failure of the Status Quo in criminal justice policy and the need for reform.

The speaker's background as a career prosecutor and child of Civil Rights Movement activists.

The family's surprising reaction to the speaker's decision to become a prosecutor, contrasting with their activism.

The belief that law enforcement impacts the vulnerable and should provide safety and dignity.

Starting a career in Alameda County, known for its strong legal tradition.

The prosecutor's experience with a wide range of cases, from drug offenses to homicide.

The suggestion to approach criminal justice reform by avoiding false choices and focusing on smart policies.

The importance of metrics and return on investment in evaluating the criminal justice system.

The challenge of innovation in law enforcement and the risks associated with trying new approaches.

The need for societal support and understanding of the trial-and-error nature of innovation.

Drawing parallels between the innovation culture in Silicon Valley and the need for a similar approach in law enforcement.

The problem with focusing on individual criminal cases rather than addressing crime as a broader problem.

The analogy of crime as a pyramid, with the most severe crimes at the top and the majority of cases at the base.

The call for a bifurcated approach to crime, distinguishing between violent and nonviolent offenses.

Addressing the misconception that progressive thinking means being soft on crime.

The importance of embracing the mundane in implementing criminal justice reform and technology adoption.

The need for public-private partnerships to support law enforcement technology and innovation.

The speaker's optimism about the potential for community-wide collaboration to improve law enforcement and criminal justice.

Transcripts

[Music]

it is quite an honor to be um on stage

with such an esteemed panel and and

congratulations to Chicago and the ideas

festival for pulling together such

talent because uh we do know and and it

has been clear from each speaker that we

have challenges there's a lot to do and

Status Quo is not working when it comes

to how we have conducted ourselves on

criminal justice policy so I stand here

as a career prosecutor a very proud

career prosecutor and by way of

background I will tell you I'm also one

of two children who was born to parents

who met when they were graduate students

at the University of California Berkeley

in the

1960s and they were both very active in

the Civil Rights Movement which is how

they met my sister and I joke that we

grew up surrounded by a bunch of adults

who spent full time marching and

shouting um about this thing called

Justice and frankly the heroes of that

time we all know among the many were th

Good Marshall and Charles Hamilton

Houston and conston Baker Motley so when

I thought of that I thought that's what

one should do I want to be a lawyer I

decided that at a very young age after

going to Howard and graduating from

Hastings law school was very excited my

family gathered around okay KLA what are

you going to do in your fight for

justice and I very proudly told them I

have decided I'm going to become a

prosecutor you're laughing because you

have a sense of who my family is for

example my sister went on to head the

ACLU so my family at least at best found

my decision a bit curious and with some

of them I had to defend the decision

like one would a thesis and here's what

I said then and now after a career over

at least a couple of of decades as a

prosecutor law enforcement has such a

direct and profound impact on the most

vulnerable Among Us and has as its

responsibility as its job to be a voice

for the

vulnerable and in the process of giving

safety has the responsibility also to

give dignity so I decided that's the

work I wanted to do and I went straight

out of law school to what was considered

one of the best offices in the country

you got a good one here in Cook County

but Alama County Earl Warren once headed

that office and that's where I started

my career and I've prosecuted everything

from low-level drug offenses to homicide

so I stand here with that experience and

that perspective and as we talk then

about ideas and what we need to do to

reform the criminal justice system I

would suggest that we should think of it

in a way that also appreciates the false

choices that have been

presented and in particular not only the

false choice about whether there has to

be some trade-off between civil

liberties and civil rights if we're to

have Public Safety but also a false

choice in general that says on criminal

justice policy you're either soft on

crime or you're tough on crime I suggest

we instead ask are we being smart on

crime which recognizes a number of

factors including as has been discussed

the need to infuse metrics in the

conversation look at what our our

wonderful Business Leaders talk about

all the time in assessing their

effectiveness what is the return on our

investment in particular in a system

that we're putting billions of dollars a

year in this country into our Criminal

Justice System let's look at it and

measure it in terms of its Effectiveness

and in that way build criminal justice

policy but I would suggest to you that

when we do that we cannot Overlook some

of the realities of what we're talking

about because criminal justice policy

and what you do about crime is very

different than what you do in terms of

how many widgets you need to process for

one reason if no

other and I'm going to step back to to

to first put it in in a larger context

what is the purpose of innovation and

why do we engage in it well Innovation

by definition is bringing to Bear some

new device you know who has their new

iPhone 5 um some new approach some new

method right all in the the pursuit of

efficiency and effectiveness and doing

something better we don't engage in

Innovation it's not the a pursuit of

just something new and exciting because

we're bored with the old thing it's

because we want to do better so let's

talk about innovation in law enforcement

and therefore criminal

justice so we do something different for

example in terms of how we approach

someone who is in the system and we

decide looking at the metrics looking at

predictors forecasting we say okay

we're going to do something different

with this guy that we have in front of

us today who's in for let's say a minor

misdemeanor do you know the challenge

for every law enforcement leader every

elected district attorney every elected

Sheriff The Challenge and the concern

the fear always is that we will do

something with that low-level offender

that might be about education and less

incarceration job training Mental Health

and that person will go out tomorrow and

kill a baby and a

grandmother and then everyone will look

at us and they will say Madame district

attorney Mr police chief Mr Sheriff why

did you do something different with them

when you had them because you see when

we engage in Innovation and law

enforcement it necessarily means we're

doing something different with someone

who's on our screen on our radar and the

only reason they're probably there is

they because they committed some kind of

crime so part of what is then involved

in innovation in law enforcement is a

high Assumption of

risk and part of what I would suggest we

need to do to encourage more innovation

in law enforcement is is is set the

table and the plate as a society as as

opinion leaders as as the voting public

to say we encourage you to do that and

we understand how Innovation Works I am

a native California I'm very proud of

what we do in California including what

we're doing in Silicon Valley well the

culture there is very clear you know my

mother was a scientist so so I I have a

full appreciation for what scientists

and Engineers do I grew up in a

household where the word hypothesis was

used all the time okay so when you run

for elected office however you are

expected to have the plan capital T

capital P the plan and then you roll out

the plan and you defend the plan no

matter what its defects because you had

the plan and so it must be

defended versus what

Innovation understands let's start with

a

hypothesis now make sure it's well

intentioned well thought out well

planned but what we know in every

situation almost when we roll it out for

the first time there will be a

glitch but we have accepted that in

places like Silicon Valley as part of

the culture we expect there will be a

glitch don't make the same mistake twice

please but then go reconfigure and let's

tweak it and improve it and roll it out

the next time the luxury of that

experience the reality of that process

is not afforded to people who generally

speaking are in elected office or law

enforcement leaders so part of what

needs to happen is we need to give law

enforcement the ability to try out

experiment and then give them a little

capital a little space to say okay there

may be a glitch fix it let's

reconvene another challenge I think we

have when it comes to innovation in in

law enforcement and therefore in

criminal justice is the the way that we

have approached the issue which has

mostly been centered on the criminal

case instead of the crime problem so I'm

a career prosecute you heard stories

about specific cases and then we heard

statistics in

general so when I was a career

prosecutor I was handed a fine

seiz fire while and child sexual assault

some of the worst crimes you can imagine

my only focus when I got that file was

that case and I'll tell you if I was

ever a vigilante da it was in that case

lock this person up because I believe

the facts are here and the evidence is

here to prove him

guilty that is the right approach for

the criminal

case it's a very different situation

when as the elected da for two terms in

San Francisco and and now the chief

elected law enforcement officer of the

biggest state in the country when I

think about the crime problem very

different from the criminal case but for

too long we have allowed criminal

justice policy to evolve around the

specific case so what ends up happening

is we have a conversation that is fueled

by what we feel here rightly our

concerns here rightly our fears here

based on that case instead of looking at

the numbers looking at the numbers that

you heard already so part of the shift

has to involve one identifying how we

have approached it and realizing that as

I know it as a career prosecutor you

know I see crime as on a

pyramid at the very top of the pyramid

the worst crime there for a obvious

reason homicide child molestation the

worst cases you can imagine they're

there at the top of the pyramid because

they are the most outrageous of

offense it it it it the the cost to the

victim and the community Community is

great and it needs to be a priority

thankfully at the top of the pyramid

also the fewest

number what is occupying the bulk of

what is in the criminal justice system

is at the middle and the base of that

pyramid but we have approached a one

siiz fits-all approach to Crime even

though crime is not monolithic I would

suggest we could make great advances

just by having people automatically when

they hear and Eva did such a beautiful

job of just showing us images and then

challenging Us in terms of what our

immediate reaction is I think we could

go a very far distance if the immediate

reaction the general public had to

criminal justice policy discussions

would be to say okay wait a minute you

person running for office or whoever

else are you talking to me about violent

crime or nonviolent crime let's just

start there just as a beginning let's

bifurcate our brains and our thoughts

into is it violent crime or non violent

crime understanding that generally

speaking the approach should be

different we can't have a knee-jerk

response that's lock them up to every

type of crime as though they are

monolithic or it's a monolith uh the

other piece of it is this so yes I've

already shared with you I mean I was

born in Oakland California my parents

were there Berkeley in the 60s I have

friends like Eva patteron okay so I say

with all love and

warmth that part of concern also for

people who um who are progressive

thinking and liberal-minded or just

Progressive thinking in terms of just

fix it fix it is that we all have these

posters in our

closet that is attached to a stick that

we sometimes will cart out when we're

talking about criminal justice policy

and those statistics that you first

heard when we opened it up incarceration

and we run around with these signs build

more schools like less jails build more

schools less jails and we walk around

everywhere build more school we protest

build more schools less

jails put money into education not

prisons there's a fundamental problem

with that approach in my

opinion and it's this I agree with that

conceptually but you have not addressed

the reason I have three padlocks on my

front

door so part of the discussion about

reform of Criminal Justice

policy has to be an acknowledgment that

crime does

occur and especially when it is violent

crime and serious crime there should be

a broad

consensus that there should be serious

and severe and Swift consequence to

Crime that I think is essential and by

the way it's it when you just break it

down everybody agrees you know all

although I'll tell you a little story

got five minutes um one year it was long

it was many years ago I was speaking

before the San Francisco Democratic

party the annual meeting and it was a

Saturday I'd done a bunch of events so I

got there and I was a little tired and I

got to the podium and I looked out at

the San Francisco Democratic party and I

just stood at this Podium I kind of

leaned over I was just exhausted and I'm

looking at you know the the Glorious

party that it is right so it's like the

black guy with the blonde hair the white

guy with the dreadlocks you know the the

lady there with the purple hair and all

the buttons right and I just looked at

it this fabulous mly crew and I said

okay so who of us as Democrats raise

your

hand is saying people shouldn't have to

go to

jail and you could see these hands just

start to run up I said hold on one human

being kills another human being a woman

is raped a child is molested is that

what we're

saying so the knee-jerk

response was to suggest we don't want

law enforcement and Public Safety but

that's not what we

mean so that has to be part of what we

talk about and challenging ourselves in

terms of where we're coming from when we

talk about what needs to occur to

improve the system to agree that status

quo is not working the next part of it

then has to be okay we can outline

criticism what's the

solution cuz it's not it's not not

having jails because there are people

who do bad things who need to go to jail

and some people need to go to jail for

the rest of their

life but it has to be about looking at

and understanding the system well enough

to know how we can then build into it

those things that can create Improvement

and then that comes down to a number of

issues including what we all need to do

when we want to improve anything which

is have a an ability to embrace and

endure the

mundane right we can talk about broad

policy approaches but let's talk about

some specific issues also and this gets

back to the last discussion about cyber

crime we really need to support the

ability and the desire of law

enforcement to adopt

technology that's a very real issue when

I was first elected district attorney in

San Francisco that was back in 2004 kind

of long ago but still San Francisco

first class City do you know two-thirds

of my lawyers didn't have

email the San Francisco Police

Department department is just now rolled

out

email what many of us who have done law

enforcement or have been in government

can tell you is that when you pull back

the curtain on the way we're operating

sometimes it reminds me of that little

guy at The Wizard of Oz it's amazing we

get anything

done so we can talk about these broad

policy goals but we also have to pay

attention to the mundane which is the

detail of how you would Implement that

we can talk about Gathering statistics

absolutely we have have to judge

criminal justice policy and law

enforcement and Effectiveness based on M

Matrix not based on some blind adherence

to tradition which is how we tend to do

it but how are we going to measure if

literally the technology is not in place

to get that

done so in terms of the details part of

the discussion has to be how we're going

to probably do work that will be public

private

Partnerships because you know I was

going to say bad word shoot um

California is on the verge of

bankruptcy you know I we just we're

looking at huge cuts so you know and I'm

sure that that Rah Emanuel and whoever

else can talk about the same concern

which is we don't have a lot of extra

resources but we also have to realize

that actually we'll end up saving money

in the not so long run by in the

infusion and Adoption of Technology by

all these systems but in particular law

enforcement if for no other reason also

because a large part of what law

enforcement does is communication based

that's how we solve crime that's how we

talk across jurisdictional lines when we

need to talk to law enforcement Partners

be they uh state and federal if you're

talking about from local or just across

jurisdictional boundaries so what we

know about technology is that's one of

the best things it gives us is the

ability to communicate effectively

accurately efficiently and quickly so

I'm going to leave that idea with you as

one of many I wrote a book it's called

smart on crime I've got more there um

but essentially I think that there is a

lot to be done but I also let me just be

more explicit strongly strongly believe

that to have this discussion in a way

that we produce outcomes means having

law enforcement at the

table because you can talk about reform

of a system but sometimes that's from

the outside in we also need Innovation

within the system and we need to rely

and Depend and include and and involve

our law enforcement leaders so that we

can actually see these reforms take

place and that's where I've had a great

experience of working with lots of

sheriffs and Das and police Chiefs who

want to do that same thing and and and I

know that that all of you support them

in their desire to do it but it really

will take a whole Community to fix the

crime problem and to do what we need to

do around bringing smart ideas to law

enforcement in a way that we pursue

Innovation it's going to be a whole

Community working together um and in

that way I feel very optimistic about

what we can do we've done some great

programs in California where we've shown

that we can change the outcomes and um

and with that I want to thank the

Chicago ideas festival for your great

work thank

[Applause]

[Music]

you