Criminal Justice Reform Took a Back Seat at the 2024 DNC
Criminal justice reform and police accountability were once center-stage in Democratic politics, but four years after the massive protests of 2020, they’ve been replaced by more law enforcement—friendly rhetoric and quietly cut from the party platform.
At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, which wrapped up in Chicago last night, one of the only major acknowledgments of criminal justice issues was an appearance by four of the five members of the Central Park Five—a group of black and Hispanic teenagers who were convicted of raping a jogger in Central Park in 1989 but who were cleared in 2002 by DNA evidence and the confession of another man.
Following the crime, Donald Trump took out full-page advertisements in four New York City newspapers calling for the Central Park Five to be executed, and the former president has refused to apologize for it in the years since they were exonerated.
“He called us animals. He spent $85,000 on a full-page ad in The New York Times calling for our execution,” one of the men, Korey Wise, said at the DNC. “We were innocent kids, but we served a total of 41 years in prison.”
That was the exception, though. Tonally, the DNC was an embrace of law enforcement and Kamala Harris’ prosecutor background, complete with a parody video of the intro to the Law and Order TV series. This is part of Democrats’ “prosecutor vs. felon” messaging, which attempts to contrast Trump’s criminal record with Harris’ law-and-order bona fides. (For a more full accounting of Harris’ record as a district attorney and California attorney general, read Elizabeth Nolan Brown’s definitive 2019 piece for Reason, “Kamala Harris Is a Cop Who Wants To Be President.”)
The DNC even brought out a real police officer, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson of Michigan, to show that Democrats can back the blue and vice versa.
“As a prosecutor, Kamala Harris protected us by putting violent criminals and sex offenders behind bars,” Swanson said. “If I was in the courtroom, she’s exactly the tough prosecutor that I’d want to see.”
Swanson’s inclusion was indicative of how much, or how little, thought the DNC organizers gave to criminal justice issues. Swanson was one of two Michigan sheriffs named in a class-action lawsuit filed earlie
Article from Latest
The Reason Magazine website is a go-to destination for libertarians seeking cogent analysis, investigative reporting, and thought-provoking commentary. Championing the principles of individual freedom, limited government, and free markets, the site offers a diverse range of articles, videos, and podcasts that challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for libertarian solutions. Whether you’re interested in politics, culture, or technology, Reason provides a unique lens that prioritizes liberty and rational discourse. It’s an essential resource for those who value critical thinking and nuanced debate in the pursuit of a freer society.