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LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman joined fellow elected prosecutors from across California at a symposium at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in an effort to explore ways to strengthen public safety while ensuring accountability and meaningful rehabilitation.

The 11 elected district attorneys and representatives from three other district attorney offices in California spent the day discussing strategies to reduce recidivism and promote reintegration while still protecting our communities.

“I was honored to share my views with elected district attorneys and others about how we can balance the scales of justice by holding criminals accountable for their actions, and at the same time, ensure those who work to better their lives through rehabilitation are given services that will help reduce recidivism and make our communities safer,” District Attorney Hochman said. “The revolving door of recidivism in our state must stop and I firmly believe that deterring criminal conduct before it occurs will help alleviate the problems in our state.

I want to thank San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins for inviting me and hosting this event at the historic San Quentin facility. I am hopeful that this is an important step we take as a group to address rehabilitative efforts that will benefit everyone.”

“I would like to thank my fellow district attorneys from across the state for joining me at San Quentin to witness the transformative power of effective rehabilitation programs to start this important dialogue around how we can work collaboratively to make our communities safer,” said San Francisco District Attorney Jenkins. “The incarcerated population have a unique perspective on accountability and effective crime prevention that we can leverage in our work to prevent crime and victimization.”

“I commend the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office for spearheading this vital symposium and bringing elected District Attorneys from across California to San Quentin,” said San Quentin Rehabilitation Center Warden Chance Andes.  “Your commitment to addressing disparities and promoting equitable sentencing practices is a crucial step toward a more just and compassionate criminal justice system. At San Quentin, we are proud to support these efforts, knowing that our incarcerated individuals deserve the chance to share their rehabilitation journeys and demonstrate their readiness to reintegrate as productive members of our community."

District Attorney Jenkins organized the symposium held yesterday that included a dialogue between incarcerated men, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) staff and fellow District Attorneys from Alameda, Contra Costa, Modoc, Mono, Napa, Nevada, San Diego, San Mateo and Shasta counties. Representatives from the Marin, Riverside, San Joaquin and Santa Clara County District Attorney Offices also participated as well as the California District Attorneys Association.

The symposium at San Quentin included a panel discussion with incarcerated individuals and staff, a tour of the institution led by incarcerated individuals, as well as small and large group discussions with reflections. Panelists set the stage for the day’s program by sharing and reflecting on their individual journeys and experience at San Quentin and rehabilitation programming at other CDCR facilities where they had been previously incarcerated or worked. Each small discussion group included district attorneys and incarcerated individuals.

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