Public Defenseless 422 | What Does it Take to Undo California's Legacy of Mass Incarceration? w/Danielle Harris
Nov 26, 2025
Danielle Harris, Managing Attorney of the Freedom Project at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, specializes in post-conviction relief for those serving harsh sentences. She highlights the impact of mass incarceration policies like three strikes laws and discusses the importance of resentencing reforms. Danielle shares compelling stories of teen offenders tried as adults and the urgency of legal changes to rectify injustices. With funding for her project expiring, she emphasizes the vital need for continued support to resolve these systemic issues.
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Law Without Funding Is Hollow
- California passed retroactive laws but failed to fund the work needed to implement them.
- Passing reform without funding the mechanisms leaves relief legally possible but practically unreachable.
Teen Sentenced As Adult Served 40 Years
- Danielle described a woman sentenced at 17 who served 40 years because a judge sent her to adult court expecting leniency that never came.
- A rescinded plea and shifting politics turned an offered eight years into 41-to-life, illustrating arbitrary outcomes.
Three Ingredients That Made Relief Work
- Three ingredients enabled the Freedom Project: law changes, a receptive DA, and state grant money.
- Holistic teams (lawyers, paralegals, mitigation, reentry) were crucial to prepare complex resentencing cases.
