Progressive DAs and a San Francisco Misread

The national media has portrayed the June recall of progressive San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin as a rebuke of the criminal justice reform movement, speculating that it will lead to the ouster of DAs in Los Angeles and New York.

In a New York Times column, the ever-incisive reporter and political strategist Gil Duran points out that Boudin was a scapegoat for a complex set of problems cities across the country are confronting. His recall reflects San Franciscans' anger over homelessness, mental illness and visible poverty – but not their opposition to justice system reform.

Indeed, California’s crime rates are at historic lows. Gil notes that a poll shortly before the election found strong support for Boudin's recall – but also for the criminal justice policies he and other progressive DAs have embraced.