[Lincolnparkdc] Why is America’s capital so violent?

[Gardner, Jessica]

It’s a really interesting read. Thanks for sharing. Since there is a paywall, the summary is that while sure, local leaders deserve some of the blame, it’s much more complicated than that. Federal rules and judicial vacancies also play a role.

For the first time, I do find myself daydreaming of moving out of the city entirely (and I’ve lived here since the 90s). But the reality is that my kids go to school locally and interest rates make moving anywhere but very far away difficult.

I don’t know what the solution is…  write to every member of the council and mayor? Call the offices of the members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee?

  Part of the end of the article is below.

…Because the District of Columbia is not a state<https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2021/03/19/why-is-washington-dc-not-a-state>, the federal government has an unusual amount of say in its affairs. In March Congress reversed a revision to Washington’s criminal code passed by the district council which, among many other changes, dropped mandatory minimum sentences for carjacking. It was the first time Congress had nixed a local law in three decades. Mitch McConnell, the Senate’s minority leader, warned that the district’s “soft-on-crime” leaders needed “adult supervision”. By summer’s end three Republican congressmen had filed a bill to dissolve the council and mayor’s office and put federal lawmakers in charge.

Local government is certainly to blame for some of dc’s problems. Washington’s crime lab, a district agency responsible for processing forensic data, lost its accreditation in the spring of 2021 after it repeatedly tried to cover up mistakes it had made. Data from the first nine months after it closed show that just 7% of dnasamples collected at crime scenes were analysed. That made some cases impossible to prosecute. The lab is now seeking re-accreditation, two and a half years later. But even if it resumes work, Matthew Graves, Washington’s chief prosecutor, expects substantial litigation over whether courts can recognise the scientists at the lab as forensic experts again.

Letting the House of Representatives run the District would be no magic fix, however (especially given its own penchant for disorder). In fact, the current degree of federal involvement seems to be hindering Washington’s ability to ward off crime. Criminal-justice research suggests that people are not deterred from committing crimes based on the severity of punishment, but rather on whether it is certain and swift. The federal government’s chokehold on the district complicates both.

Capitol offences
In Washington, unlike any other American city, the us attorney is responsible for prosecuting both local and federal crimes (and defending the federal government in civil cases). The office’s split personality means that resources must be rationed. After January 6th 2021, for example, the former us attorney pulled staff off local cases to help prosecute insurrectionists who had stormed the Capitol.

In 2022 the office declined to prosecute 67% of local arrests, up from 31% in 2016. That is much higher than in other cities: according to the Washington Post, last year Philadelphia prosecutors dropped just 4% of cases, Cook County, which includes Chicago, 14% and Detroit 33%. Such a high dismissal rate could well be discouraging police from making arrests. And though it could suggest triaging, where prosecutors prioritise slam-dunk cases, the office’s win-rate did not budge as they slimmed down their docket. That sends a message: in America’s capital, committing a crime may not have consequences.■

Because there is no state apparatus, district judges who hear local cases are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate, just like federal judges. Since presidents are eager to fill circuit-court posts across the country to increase their political influence, Washington’s judges get sidelined. As a result the district has 12 vacancies and seven judges awaiting Senate confirmation. That is unusual: in Pennsylvania just two posts are unfilled, in neighbouring Maryland one. With nearly one-third of the bench empty, fewer cases go to trial. The backlog is not only an injustice; it also pulls the punch of a quick conviction.

More independence from the feds would probably help the District get back on track. But local leaders will be trusted only when they can reduce violence. In July the council passed a bill that temporarily raised the charge for firing a gun from a misdemeanour to a felony and made it easier to lock up violent offenders before trial. After Mr Cuellar was attacked they voted to extend that bill for another 90 days.

Last week the mayor introduced another one, to crack down on loitering, wearing dodgy masks and scheming to steal from shops. Congress ought to commend them for it. Instead, House Republicans’ latest appropriations bill includes a provision to allow out-of-state gun-owners to carry concealed weapons in the district. It is hard to imagine how that will help

Stay on top of American politics with Checks and Balance<https://www.economist.com/newsletters/checks-and-balance>, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter, which examines the state of American democracy and the issues that matter to voters.

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 6, 2023, at 5:43 PM, Tom Woteki <drwo at woteki.com> wrote:

CAUTION: EXTERNAL MESSAGE

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/10/30/why-is-americas-capital-so-violent
Why is America’s capital so violent? from TheEconomist

Dr. Wo’s iPad Pro

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