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OAKLAND — The recall of Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price is a setback for the meaningful criminal justice reform that the ACLU of Northern California has long pursued.
A former civil rights attorney, Price was a progressive prosecutor who was unfairly targeted for removal just a few months after she took office in early 2023. She made history as Alameda County’s first African American woman DA winning a decisive election with 53% on a campaign to reform the criminal justice system.
“While we are disappointed by the recall, the ACLU of Northern California remains committed to advocating for progressive public safety solutions that focus on prevention, treatment and rehabilitation,” said Yoel Haile, director of the criminal justice program at the ACLU of Northern California. “We will continue to demand that the next Alameda County District Attorney pursue reform, reduce incarceration, hold police accountable when they break the law, and root out racial bias in the criminal justice system.”
Although critics claimed that Price’s policies led to an increase in crime, in reality murders are down 33 % in Oakland compared to this time last year. And violent crime overall is down 19 %.
Even with these declines, people who live in Alameda County have valid concerns about public safety. We understand their anger and frustration. But we also know that turning away from meaningful criminal justice reform in favor of mass incarceration that disproportionately targets Black and Brown people will not solve anything.
Price’s recall should be viewed as part of a broader conservative strategy in California and across the nation to roll back criminal justice reforms aimed at interrupting the cycle of mass incarceration of Black and Brown people.
Meanwhile, corporate interests and law enforcement have backed Proposition 36 – a misguided and misleading ballot measure that will defund critical crime prevention and drug treatment programs. We categorically opposed it.
It will now be up to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to appoint an interim district attorney. We call on the supervisors to conduct an open and transparent appointment process that allows for meaningful community input. That person will serve until the next regularly scheduled election in 2026. The winner of that election would serve out the rest of Price’s term which ends in 2028.
We will continue to advocate for prosecutors who are committed to addressing the root causes of crime and working toward real pathways to public safety for the communities they serve.
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