By Alana Bleimann
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Amidst the Republican-led recall effort of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, the U.S. Department of Justice released its annual Uniform Crime Report (UCR) showing that San Francisco’s crime rates decreased in 2020.
Supporters of the recall have argued that ever since Boudin was elected into office in 2019, crime rates have been going up, especially store thefts caught on camera.
Although it may appear as though crime rates are going up because they are being caught on camera, the Department of Justice recently
shared data to support that the city’s violent crime and property crime rates are decreasing.
“While recall proponents seek to mislead the public, data released today by the Department of Justice shows crime dropped significantly in District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s first year in office,” Cristine Soto DeBerry of The Prosecutors Alliance of California stated.
The Crime Report indicates a 19 percent reduction in violent crime and a 20 percent reduction in property crime in 2020.
“It’s telling that, rather than providing actual data or facts, the remaining recall group’s offer to “see the facts” on their website links only to headlines. This is another recall bankrolled by Republicans that can’t win on the facts, so they will resort to fear tactics,” DeBerry said.
DeBerry said the DA’s prosecution tactics are intended to provide safe and fair justice alternatives to incarceration for both victim and perpetrator, with his mission statement being “make San Francisco more fair, just, and safe for all.”
Stepping away from fear mongering and diving into the real data supported by the DOJ allows the truth to come to light and for San Franciscans to feel safer in their home and on the streets, added DeBerry, noting
“It’s time to abandon the rhetoric and shameless fear mongering and simply look at the numbers. The data provides guidance and a path to a safer San Francisco.”
