For almost 100 years the League of Women Voters has remained vital by striving for an equitable society, studying its injustices and advocating for effective remedies. One of the most compelling issues of our time is criminal justice reform. 

The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. This is an issue that enrages people on all sides of the political spectrum: those who see a huge waste of dollars and those who see a tragic loss of human potential in a “lock ‘em up” mentality.
 
A key player in our criminal justice system is the elected District Attorney (D.A.), who is responsible for making decisions that can either lead to disproportionate sentences (especially for people of color and those with low income) or steer the process toward a more equitable criminal justice system.  Because D.A.s act with very little accountability and essentially no transparency, it is imperative to inform communities of their role and responsibilities. 
 
In 2020, the people of Los Angeles County will elect a District Attorney. Since the public generally knows very little about what they do, the League has organized this forum in partnership with the L.A. Coalition for D.A. Justice and Accountability to share with the public a nonpartisan look at their traditional role and the revolutionary way in which a few D.A.s across the nation have begun the process of transforming our justice system.