Political Shifts and the Complexity of Crime Reform

This episode contains strong language.

This week, voters in San Francisco ousted Chesa Boudin, their progressive district attorney. The move was seen as a rejection of a class of prosecutors who are determined to overhaul the criminal justice system.

But what happened to Mr. Boudin can be seen as more the exception than the rule.

Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national political reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading: 

• By ousting Mr. Boudin, voters in San Francisco put an end to one of the United States’ most pioneering experiments in criminal justice overhaul.
• The progressive backlash in California has sent a signal about the potency of law and order as a political message in 2022.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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