Checkpoint: Recall In Alameda County Divides Bay Area Residents

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Background

For years, Alameda County has grappled with a debilitating trio: homelessness, drug abuse, and a surge in crime. Tragically, these crises have culminated in an increase in gun violence that claims lives indiscriminately, regardless of age or affiliation, sowing grief and fear within its residents.

Amidst this despair, citizens of Oakland and surrounding municipalities are divided by the growing movement to recall first-time District Attorney Pamela Price. From the parents of two-year-old Jasper Wu to the wife of 58-year-old Kevin Nishita, the loved ones of recent victims of gun violence are rallying behind the advocacy group "Safe Alameda for Everyone" (SAFE).

However, this is not a clear-cut story of right and wrong, as both sides of the conflict have fair points and strong arguments to make. In order to understand the complexities fueling this discontent, it is necessary to look beyond the highly emotionally charged surface and face the systemic inequalities that affect public safety.

Nuanced discussions that acknowledge the legitimate anxieties of residents while challenging simplistic narratives demonizing reform are the only way to approach such a controversial topic. The fight is not only a dispute over one District Attorney but also a microcosm of the national struggle against criminality and social justice in the United States. 

Roots Of Discontent: Violence And Late-Stage Capitalism 

Locals living in Alameda County, both proponents and opponents of Pamela Price's recall, suffer at the hands of an extreme uptick in violence in California. Fear and anger are especially prevalent in the area now, and for good reason. In 2022, violent crime had increased in the Golden State by 13.5 percent compared to 2019 and 26.4 percent from 2014. Worse still, homicide rates are up 25.3 percent since 2019, with 71.4. percent of them involving a firearm.

The murders are concentrated in vulnerable communities with high poverty and unemployment rates. While statistics paint a chilling picture of the crisis, the stark numbers are not mere abstractions; they represent shattered lives, families torn apart, and a profound erosion of trust in the systems and representatives that supposedly safeguard their well-being. "It is absolutely outrageous [...] We have to–––and we must–––see some sort of consequence to all of these different crimes," says Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao.

Yet, the roots of this discontent extend beyond the immediacy of violence. Like many urban centers in the US, Alameda County wrestles with the discomforting realities of late-stage capitalism. A widening wealth gap, inadequate social safety nets, and a fragmented healthcare system fuel the seemingly neverending cycles of poverty, addiction, and brutality. These systemic issues, gradually becoming more visible on bustling city streets, lay the groundwork for criminal activity. 

Such a complex web of cause and effect demands more than punitive measures, which DA Price recognizes. While lauded by some, her progressive criminal justice system reforms ignited a heated debate. Initiatives like diversion programs for low-level offenders and increased focus on rehabilitation were seen by many as soft on crime, offering little solace to those living in fear or grief right now.

However, supporters of her reforms argue that addressing the root causes of crime through social investments in education, housing, and mental health offers a more sustainable path to public safety. The immediate call for a safer Alameda County is undeniable, however, residents do not want to sit back and watch as their children's murderers get reduced sentences.

"As a mother, I am upset with that [plea deal]. That's why I am reaching out to the District Attorney," says Anna Tolentino, the mother of 30-year-old homicide victim Rienhart Asuncion. Her son's killer, who is also implicated in the murders of teenagers Angel and Jazy Sotelo Garcia, will only receive a seven-year sentence in juvenile hall. Advocates for SAFE represent a critical juncture in the ongoing battle to build a future where safety and justice go hand in hand and addressing immediate anxieties coexists with dismantling the systemic inequalities that fuel them. 

The Recall Movement: Nuances And Motivations

Among the supporters of Pamela Price's recall are working-class families, communities of color, and even some progressives disillusioned with the DA's approach to crime. "Please, do your job. Protect us–––the victims, the families. Please, do your job. Help us and put these criminals away," says Virginia Nishita, the widow of the late Kevin Nishita, at a protest following the murder of toddler Jasper Wu. Virginia, whose husband was killed in 2021, appears thoroughly disheartened that Price's reforms have not done the community any good.

Most of her critics assert that they feel her administration's efforts do not protect the civilians residing in Alameda Count but instead support the offenders behind the crimes. One of Price's reforms includes doing away with enhancements, which add to a prisoner's sentence should their felony involve the possession or use of a gun. Another forbids courts to try people under eighteen years of age as adults, which had a hand in the sentencing of the seventeen-year-old murderer of Rienhart Asuncion and the Sotelo Garcia brothers.

Under Price's administration, protestors claim that plea bargains–––where defendants agree to plead guilty to some or all of their charges to receive concessions on their sentences––– are allowing wrongdoers too much grace. Florence Mccrary, the mother of deceased 22-year-old Terrence Mccrary, expresses about her son's killer, "He has been charged with three murders [and] sentenced for one. And now they're trying to act like my son's life just can go by the wayside.

“It makes me angry, and it hurts my heart to the core because I don't get Christmas back. I don't get [...] Mother's Day. I don't get to hug [Terrence]." She fears that DA Price will allow the man who killed Terrence to strike a plea deal with the prosecutors. The scope of the recall movement underscores the anxieties of residents who feel their concerns have been unheard and their communities left to fight the immediate consequences of violence by themselves. 

Summary: Finding A Path Forward

Moving forward from this issue requires first recognizing pressing public safety concerns to soothe the wounds of anguished families and make neighborhoods secure enough for peaceful living. Open dialogue between DA Price, the community, and all stakeholders is paramount so all those involved can reach a consensus about what is most needed. Ultimately, building a safer Alameda County demands collective action and political will, weaving together compassionate justice, robust social investment, and a commitment to tackling the root and result of crime.

Until all voices feel represented, Price's administration will continue to be criticized by the general public and inside employees. "Victims of crimes still do have some rights, and those are being ignored and flagrantly disregarded and it is really sad and hard to watch," says former Alameda County prosecutor Charly Weissenbach, "I didn't want to be a part of that." The problem is not a zero-sum game, however, it is also an opportunity for a safer future for all people at the intersection of public safety and a more equitable society.