The incoming district attorney for Los Angeles County, Nathan Hochman, said in an interview with The Associated Press that his first task upon taking office is to eliminate the "pro-criminal blanket policies" of one of California's most high-profile progressive prosecutors, George Gascon.
That means bringing back gang-related sentencing enhancements, allowing prosecutors to file juvenile charges more freely, and having prosecutors attend parole hearings with victims' families again, where they can help argue against the release of convicts, Hochman said.
The former Republican-turned-independent also plans to return to prosecuting low-level nonviolent crimes that he said the current district attorney has not, such as criminal threats, trespassing, disturbing the peace and loitering, which often involve those experiencing homelessness.
Anyone who breaks the law will receive "proportional" consequences - no more "get out of jail free" cards, Hochman said in the interview Wednesday.
At the same time, he wants to look at solutions that don't necessarily involve locking criminals up, such as court-mandated drug treatment, community service, and restitution.
