What do crime victims actually want — and what do they need?

“It’s not going to bring my mom back.” This is what Terryln Hall said to Alabama authorities as she asked them to spare the life of Joe Nathan James Jr., the man responsible for murdering her mother. Despite this, on July 28, Alabama authorities ignored Hall’s wishes and carried out the execution. Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshal justified the execution, arguing he must “ensure that justice is done for the people of Alabama.”

Sadly, many prosecutors and officials pursue harsh sentences, even death, against the wishes of the victims in a case. Our criminal justice system seeks to balance the needs of our communities, victims and even offenders in an effort to serve the public’s interest and work for the people. That means keeping our neighborhoods safe, holding individuals accountable in a manner that is fair and equitable and using taxpayer resources judiciously.

Victims’ voices must be centered in advocacy in the name of the people. However, far too often, the wishes of victims have been reduced to only those seeking revenge for their pain while disregarding those seeking redemption and healing Victims have a range of opinions about punishment, but nearly all agree, what they most want is to be safe and protect others.

Across the country, every attempt to recall or challenge a modern prosecutor includes a common theme and tactic: A handful of victims are pushed front and center to criticize data-driven policies that reduce our reliance on mass incarceration. We most often hear from victims in the aftermath of a tragedy who decry these policies as unjust, unsafe and unwanted by the victim community.

So are policies like those pursued by District Attorney George Gascón serving the public interest and centering victims’ voices? Or do victims pre

fer and is Los Angeles better served by the approach favored by those seeking to recall him?

Surveys show that victims of violent crime in Los Angeles support policies like Gascón’s that promote rehabilitation and prevention over longer periods of incarceration by a margin of 2 to 1. Gascón’s policies also serve the broader public interest as they are shown to reduce recidivism, which means reductions in future offending, victimization and taxpayer spending.

There are indeed victims who want the maximum sentence imposed, but the suggestion that this is the desire of most victims ignores the truth. Victims want to ensure they are safe and that no one else will have to experience the same thing. That’s why, when asked, most victims want support for things ranging from medical bills and therapy to home security systems that give them a sense of safety rather than a longer period of incarceration.

Unfortunately, our wasteful spending on incarceration has deprived victims of the resources they want and deserve. State spending on victim services represents about 1% of what California spends on the prison system. A recent survey of 711 victims of crime conducted by the Prosecutors Alliance found that nearly 40% of victims were never offered support to recover from the crime. .

In cases where an arrest is made and a case is filed, victims’ opinions on sentencing varies. As you can imagine, in the immediate aftermath of a trauma wherein someone loses a loved one, victims often do want the maximum sentence imposed. Often, however, the desire to see the harshest penalties imposed wanes as victims make their journey from victim to survivor.