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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Queens DA's approach to public safety: Balancing prosecution and prevention
4:57:41
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81 sec
District Attorney Melinda Katz outlines her office's comprehensive approach to public safety, emphasizing a balance between prosecution and prevention strategies. She highlights the importance of both following evidence for prosecution and implementing measures to keep youth out of the courtroom.
- Stresses that public safety involves both prosecuting cases and preventing crime
- Emphasizes the role of community engagement and non-lawyer staff in addressing public safety issues
- Discusses the importance of helping potential victims and connecting people with appropriate resources
Melinda Katz
4:57:41
So this is a great day for us to be able to come in front of the council because we get to share the ideas we have for public safety.
4:57:48
And as D.
4:57:50
A.
4:57:50
McMahon was talking about, public safety is not just about prosecuting.
4:57:53
Public safety is about prosecuting those that are that when you follow the evidence, it leads to prosecution.
4:58:00
But it's also about keeping our kids out of the courtroom.
4:58:03
It's also about making sure that we have as in my office, I have a youth coordinator.
4:58:08
We have community relations folks.
4:58:10
People that go out to the community in the district.
4:58:12
By the way, that are not lawyers.
4:58:14
So that when someone says to them, hey, I have a friend in my church who has a daughter who is being trafficked.
4:58:20
Do you have someone who could talk to them about that?
4:58:23
And the person they're speaking to is not a lawyer, but it's a community person.
4:58:26
And that community person then brings it back to my office, finds either the ADA to speak to or finds some way to give that person help.
4:58:35
Maybe it's one of the not for profits.
4:58:38
Maybe it's youth leaders.
4:58:39
Maybe it's Cure Violence.
4:58:40
Whatever it is.
4:58:42
We do that all the time.
4:58:44
So it is about finding justice for people.
4:58:47
And it's about making sure that we are doing our jobs as elected officials also, right, which is not just about prosecuting.
4:58:53
It's also representing our districts and representing our borough, which also means keeping people out of the criminal justice system.