Issues
Public Safety
There is nothing more important than ensuring the safety of our neighborhoods and families. But for too long, California has engaged in expensive and outdated policies that have failed to stem violence and crime. The facts paint a grim picture: California has lost over 15,000 lives over the last 30 years due to gang violence and estimates on membership in gangs in California range from 250,000 to 420,000 members.
Central to the long-term safety of our communities is fundamental reform of our prison system. Between 1990 and 2005, the prison population increased by 73% – nearly three times faster than the general adult population. Of the 120,000 individuals released from state prisons annually, 70% return. When we consider the fact that 49% of inmates are locked-up for non-violent offenses – it’s clear our system is not working.
While we have a very serious issue of prison overcrowding, we must recognize that that alone is not the problem. Our rehabilitation, community re-entry and parolee programs must improve. And a fresh approach to juvenile justice, working toward community-based and rehabilitative options to keep our youth out of jail and with their families is needed.
In San Francisco, Newsom has implemented innovative new solutions to help keep residents safe. In 2009, overall crime rates and homicides dropped significantly in San Francisco thanks to increased police hiring and a new “zone” strategy of policing and smart use of technology.
Measurable Crime Reduction Results: Under Mayor Newsom, San Francisco has met local staffing mandates for the first time in years by adding 567 officers to the force. Working with local law enforcement, Newsom has focused on a Zone Crime Reduction strategy to target resources where they are most needed. The zone strategy deploys maximum available resources to those areas experiencing a disproportionate amount of crime. In the first months of 2009, in large part due to the Zone Strategy, violent crimes had decreased by 18%, property crime by 26%, non-fatal shootings by 22% and homicides by 61% compared to 2008.
Community Engagement and Policing: Communities, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, can help prevent violence. Mayor Newsom’s Violence Prevention Plan, funded through an historic $60 million investment, has proven successful in increasing coordination between law enforcement and community-based organizations, engaging the public in violence prevention strategies and reducing overall crime in San Francisco. The plan has re-focused city resources to address the “root causes” of violence, established a multimedia public education campaign and funded programs like the Summer Street Violence Council, which engaged over 2,000 residents in community safety events for youth and families.
Juvenile Justice Reform: Recognizing a broken juvenile justice system at the state level where more than 2/3 of California youth paroled from detention facilities are rearrested within two years, Mayor Newsom has made aggressive reforms to San Francisco’s local juvenile justice system. In 2007, as part of the largest investment ever in children and youth services in the city’s history, Mayor Newsom dedicated over $4.6 million to create quality job training programs for youth who traditionally have the least access to these types of services and $2 million for juvenile probation improvements, including new investments in the city’s residential juvenile probation center, the creation of a Juvenile Advisory Council and new violence suppression and recidivism programs. Mayor Newsom has also overseen a significant expansion of anti-truancy programs in high school and middle schools.
Technology and Innovation: California’s long history of technological innovation must be leveraged in our crime prevention efforts as well. Under Mayor Newsom’s leadership, San Francisco has installed ShotSpotter technology to locate and identify gunshots in high-violence neighborhoods within 15 seconds of the incident. In the first year of implementation, the system reported over 200 gunshots that never would have been reported otherwise, helping local police focus their efforts. San Francisco has placed 71 cameras in high crime neighborhoods.
Comprehensive Review of SFPD: Mayor Newsom worked with the San Francisco Police Chief and the Police Executive Research Forum to conduct a comprehensive and far-reaching public review of the SFPD and its operations, structure and personnel resources resulting in over 350 recommendations. Top national experts in effective policing led the evaluation – culminating in unprecedented levels of information about the city’s police services.
Join Our Policy Team: Gavin Newsom believes that the best plan is a better idea. If you would like to share your ideas and insights on how to reshape California's Public Safety policy, please email us at issues@gavinnewsom.com.
