- Leaked memo outlines Los Angeles district attorney’s new diversion program
- Plan would drop criminal charges against juveniles for certain felonies
- Burglary, assault, robbery, arson and sexual battery charges would be eligible
- However, firearms charges, rape and homicide are not part of the program聽
- DA George Gascon has called for more rehabilitation in the justice system
- He cites the murder of Jaqueline Avant as a failure of ‘tough on crime’ policies聽
Los Angeles聽District Attorney George Gasc贸n is expanding a program to drop criminal proceedings against juveniles charged with a range of felonies, according to a leaked memo.
The Restorative Enhanced Diversion for Youth (REDY) program was launched as a pilot basis last month, and Gasc贸n is expanding it to cover a range of felony charges, according to the memo obtained by KTTV reporter聽Bill Melugin.
Under the expansion, youth would be eligible for ‘diversion’ after being charged with burglary, assault, vehicle theft, robbery, grand theft person, sexual battery, and arson, according to the memo.
A number of felonies would remain ineligible for diversion, including homicide, forcible rape, gun crimes, and crimes resulting in serious injuries.
‘According to this policy, prosecutors in the LA DA office tell me if a juvenile were to follow you home, pull a knife on you, threaten to kill you, then use force to rob you, and they are later arrested, they would be eligible for diversion rather than prosecution,’ Melugin wrote in a tweet.
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The Restorative Enhanced Diversion for Youth (REDY) program was launched as a pilot basis last month, and Gasc贸n is expanding it to cover a range of felony charges.