[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6575290,"mediaKeyId","3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a","parentId",3123457,"title","Prosecutor warns Justice-Involved Youth bill could strip discretion; defenders say mentorship should be voluntary","audioSeconds",363,"startMs",3600000,"endMs",3963000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a&start=3600&end=3963","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6575290/Prosecutor-warns-Justice-Involved-Youth-bill-could-strip-discretion-defenders-say-mentorship-should-be-voluntary","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575290-cb91a4adc7194d0eb712f8728a9a5e5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1774896580&Signature=mjPQrOCBAE6CGaoVXCOKLuAn2dnVBeb9exn33eMXVmazIInWD4MYGQs~6fJBZajAuFgqig6J25EgimaKuUAw4ZgrjyIKyCmwT4qLL-BNOLve4yt8OWNiCDzfVjd~ba0uI867siYV7g1JS40xTKTX5FtYvFpYqDSUYMwrCXYZnGRxQG5vRB~mr9dv5c3pl6sAcdGXlvxOZ2SZi6nvKncpNZrhrLqsUmOz1ZkbXvRCpKkO3fQq0vqnaOxZdR9XUj5xEbD2khQCkpcUHQIewydP2h32vQHSsj5VwSUfmojjbAE1iSkuJVymhqVd7LTRU3ypv8V3yFdlYLhlaTGo5Gt7fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","District of Columbia (Judiciary and Public Safety)","date","2025-04-24T00:00:00Z","article","The Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety questioned government witnesses on the Justice Involved Youth and Community Act of 2025 (B26-186), a bill that would create a \"trusted adult\" referral pathway and require that certain youth with prosecution alternatives be referred to a mentorship/wraparound pilot and that noncompliance be reported.

Elizabeth Weiser, Deputy Attorney General for the Public Safety Division at the Office of the Attorney General, told the committee the office uses consent decrees, deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) and deferred disposition agreements (DDAs) to obtain individualized, rehabilitative outcomes for youth. Weiser said B26-186 as drafted would \"interfere with the exercise of the Attorney General's independent prosecutorial discretion\" by requiring that a third-party trusted adult determine noncompliance and by mandating automatic termination and prosecution on that finding. \"The decision whether to enter into an alternative resolution agreement like a DPA or a DDA is an exercise of prosecutorial discretion entrusted to the executive branch,\" she said, and added that courts and prosecutors have authority to reinstate petitions when appropriate.

Katerina Seminova of the Public Defender Service said the bill risks undermining trust between youth and mentors because the proposed trusted adult would be required to report alleged noncompliance to probation officers, which would make mentees less willing to turn to the adults for help. Seminova and PDS Deputy Chief Hannah McElhinney urged that any mentorship be voluntary and come from already trusted community or school figures; they also cautioned against mandatory, automatic revocations that remove prosecutorial or judicial discretion.

Council members pressed witnesses on outcomes data. OAG provided completion-rate figures: a five-year average of about 76% completion for alternatives from 2019'2023 and a 2023 completion rate reported at about 64% (2,062 matters presented to OAG; 315 entered into consent decrees/DPAs/DDAs; 202 successfully completed that subset). Committee members asked for additional breakdowns of revocations, rearrests and how many youths who failed to complete alternatives later received no further prosecution; OAG agreed to follow up with more precise counts.

Why it matters: The bill aims to expand supports for youth on prosecution alternatives while trying to add accountability for attendance and participation. Prosecutorial and defense witnesses agreed on the value of wraparound supports but pushed back on mandatory revocation language and duplication with existing probation and court social services; both offices asked the committee to craft a voluntary, evidence-based pilot instead of removing prosecutorial discretion. The committee asked for additional data on completion, revocation and reoffending before moving ahead.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District of Columbia (Judiciary and Public Safety) - Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety, Public Hearing, Brooke Pinto, Chairperson - Apr 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety questioned government witnesses on the Justice Involved Youth and Community Act of 2025 (B26-186), a bill that would create a \"trusted adult\" referral pathway and require that certain youth with prosecution alternatives be referred to a mentorship/wraparound pilot and that noncompliance be reported.","taxTitle","Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia","taxId",15949,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6575296,"Witness-support proposal draws federal, executive caution at Council hearing",108,302000,410000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a&start=302&end=410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a/thumbnail_302000.jpg","/articles/6575296/Witness-support-proposal-draws-federal-executive-caution-at-Council-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575296-6d5114ac2f2b890cb362b165419320d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1774896580&Signature=GwYEHwuXmuOPxx3es5D8w7CngtLJvXM1CgzAGUSUPb-lW7rPGS7Xg3KpONEbtcXmcsvusuq5jTQOKINAa~AhnRR6biNEYMemmnnPgb0SOEh19VGTZJeMkUjSRsFvKznuD8SB8Zy6im7wuLtTNV4y1L7vczRoMyrwO6S0BbEVTvTxzroKk4QOhGFfALDq3bF7rb9KOqlEX0JqOWNenysjGZ~CFbeEcn4vOGcwzgKjV57oRul4qvvsk3erNscbLQR5Aje7XbfijLuuZvnhB6LcEDcU1eu6cXPikjzrJBneq8yqMFOGPW707u7I25DL~aio0zXha378t8VC23eN3hGFGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council Member Brianne Nadeau opened testimony on the Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-27), telling the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety that the bill responds to low homicide closure rates and the absence of a codified witness-assistance program. Nadeau said the bill would double the statutory tip maximum in homicide cases from $25,000 to a $50,000 minimum and establish a municipal witness relocation and assistance program including housing, physical protection and identity documents; it would also require a mayoral report on existing programs.

Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah told the committee the executive submitted formal opposition \"to B26-27,\" warning that mandatory $50,000 payments could be expensive and that the city should prioritize investments in proven investigatory tools and more detectives. The deputy mayor noted MPD's homicide clearance rates historically exceed many comparably sized cities and that executive priorities include forensic capacity and hiring investigators. Appiah said the city has ad hoc witness and emergency relocation supports but questioned whether the proposed statutory approach would be a cost-effective use of limited funds.

Ilana Suttonberg, Special Counsel for Policy and Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, told the committee USAO shares the goal of increasing witness cooperation but warned a mandatory $50,000 minimum risks undermining prosecutions: \"With such a substantial mandatory payment, there could be concerns related to the bias of witnesses receiving these payments in our prosecutions, which could cause juries to doubt the testimony of these witnesses,\" she said. Suttonberg described federal witness and victim-witness assistance programs that currently provide safety planning, emergency housing, and referrals, and urged collaboration on adding resources rather than prescriptive local mandates.

Discussion focused on what does and does not incentivize witnesses to come forward. Appiah and Suttonberg both emphasized trust, anonymity and concrete safety measures as drivers of cooperation, and cautioned that money alone cannot overcome fear of retaliation. Appiah described MPD tip structures that provide variable awards where reliability and evidentiary value are assessed by detectives. The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasized that its Victim Witness Assistance Unit already operates a range of services and that federal witness security (U.S. Marshals) covers some permanent relocation and identity-change needs.

Why it matters: The bill addresses a core public-safety problem identified by council members — witness reluctance in violent-crime cases — and proposes statutory remedies. Federal and executive witnesses urged caution about mandatory payouts and warned new, costly local programs could produce unintended prosecutorial and budgetary consequences. The committee directed follow-up questions on current tip payment practices, how many cases are closed by tip, and what local-federal program gaps truly exist. The record on the bill remains open for additional documentation and data.","Council Member Brianne Nadeau opened testimony on the Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-27), telling the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety that the bill responds to low homicide closure rates and the absence of a codified witness-assistance program.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6575301,"Council committee hears concerns, praise as deputy mayor opposes Safe Passage bill",916,589000,1505000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a&start=589&end=1505","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a/thumbnail_589000.jpg","/articles/6575301/Council-committee-hears-concerns-praise-as-deputy-mayor-opposes-Safe-Passage-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575301-3ada28bbfa03f5cea941a82d1199b59d/orig.mp4?Expires=1774896580&Signature=kzyb49D9fNx2QhCqu63XXyzEP~2z2OzZPTy8-XOdRhn~mKlmXnkycEzps7mowkEK4PMevxYzFAFSyqHbYA~lPr0LmhXaOG1JAm5I8SUGmc8zDm4hrCVjtL2CPImEb2nH2Zx1nNqT7DLfQIBkJeXHNp-vnfZJrAKsyKV7LrfmP6d-RCfKYKww1zXajD23jcRl79WyYgKju0oipOBhp51uHoFk7hOvPDU2bRm2jbTY1CDtV00tn8eAR-p54c~Zf2ukZmx7dG3-S-hL4U92rbJMPGqPNdvIsBUIqhV5qrUO-njea1JI2KIvC9IWekmD-zLEvnFF350je6fC8Tp9rObiAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council Member Brooke Pinto convened a two-day public hearing on April 24 for a package of public-safety bills; the session opened with a round of government witnesses on the Safe Passage Training and School Engagement Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-204).

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsay Appiah told the committee she \"offer[s] testimony in opposition, as written, to B26-204,\" arguing the executive branch needs flexibility to adapt training and service models based on changing local conditions. Appiah said her office already operates a managed Safe Passage program with standard operating procedures and a set of required trainings that are delivered to more than 200 ambassadors and four community-based grantees.

The deputy mayor outlined the program's current structure: one-week onboarding in August, CPR/first aid in September, de-escalation and community engagement in October, periodic refreshers during the school year and additional modules on recognizing child abuse, Narcan, self-care and resilience. \"We have SOPs that are incorporated that actually list out what are the mandatory trainings,\" Appiah said, noting monthly principal meetings and daily reporting channels that link grantees, schools and Metropolitan Police Department staff.

Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, who sponsored a related bill on witness support, praised provisions in the Safe Passage proposal and argued for standardization across schools. Pinto, who chairs the committee, and several council members pressed Appiah about whether the program's roles and boundaries are clear to ambassadors and school staff. Appiah acknowledged variation among providers'\"some of them are great at engaging young people\" and some are not'and said her office has added youth-development training to address that.

Appiah emphasized the distinction between Safe Passage ambassadors and other roles: \"They are not police officers, right? And they also aren't violence interrupters,\" she said, calling them \"trusted eyes and ears\" who canvass routes, redirect students, clear unsafe locations and report incidents to supervisors, schools and MPD. She described a daily incident-tracking process and ad-hoc, area-specific trainings when patterns emerge.

Committee members also asked about how Safe Passage interacts with other programs such as violence interrupters, School Connect, DCPS school safety teams and credible messengers. Appiah said the city is trying to build a continuum of supports and to avoid duplicative or conflicting deployments; she said the Safe Passage maps and priority-route approach were adopted after consultation with schools and MPD and are posted at safepassage.dc.gov. Appiah said the program is funded locally and by grants and that decisions about scale must account for limited resources.

Why it matters: Safe Passage workers are often the most consistent adult escorts for students commuting to and from school. The committee heard that standardizing training and ensuring clear school-site coordination are priorities for parents, principals and council members, but the deputy mayor argued statutory mandates could reduce program flexibility and adaptability. The committee left the record open for further follow-up questions about school coordination, neurodivergence training and route-level incident trends.

The committee moved next to the Case Closure and Witness Support bill and other proposals in the PEACEDC package. The record on B26-204 is open through the hearing process.","Council Member Brooke Pinto convened a two-day public hearing on April 24 for a package of public-safety bills; the session opened with a round of government witnesses on the Safe Passage Training and School Engagement Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-204).",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6575285,"Pretrial-detention debate splits prosecutors, executive and defenders as Council weighs making Secure DC changes permanent",330,7500000,7830000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a&start=7500&end=7830","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3123457-38100c041f96fc338ddfe1431f95be0a/thumbnail_7500000.jpg","/articles/6575285/Pretrial-detention-debate-splits-prosecutors-executive-and-defenders-as-Council-weighs-making-Secure-DC-changes-permanent","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575285-85ce3a6ef66f0007e03547ee31a58b5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1774896580&Signature=YL8rG8oWkrgkcKUzshlsN0zRlDVEy-RcRB9DVvdtYwX1CRGyWRAHSBhY8kI0OqJ6MpDrqBLbVdV5vfqhNO0UVbLjcjk7y-gZCToAhBEaYU6ENsybuPpaKMdbiuohVQFi6FIS2CJzTU3FGqhxG6kysdyBhc5Gsbl1KT9pj~qaby8gPoAHwgJFgC~wAfSYSap~EDsI58sZwSZm~p1t-~FrcFAFt-534Tk0mer34MXdP8t76SLbrO72Q5wCSYWBpDfkyYdhiACmbB1QOfjf4emicWeY-BFoSr7eaiU89wy8F-h3bGtByu7Owgev9mc54DoMi3eJZEz04LGz4XOlyKFyvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety heard extended testimony and questioning on the Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-188), which would make permanent provisions enacted under recent \"Secure DC\" emergency legislation that expand the categories of violent offenses subject to a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention and require written judicial findings in some cases.

Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah urged the committee to keep the Secure DC changes in place, saying the measures are one among several tools that helped drive a 27% year-over-year decline in violent crime so far in 2025. Appiah said judges maintain discretion under the law but that the rebuttable-presumption changes give courts clearer statutory authority to hold defendants charged with serious violent offenses, and she argued the city lacks evidence that the courts have misused those tools.

Ilana Suttonberg of the U.S. Attorney's Office told the committee USAO \"strongly supports\" making the Secure DC pretrial-detention changes permanent. She described two key modifications: widening the list of crimes for which a trial judge will apply a rebuttable presumption of detention at the preliminary hearing, and requiring judges to explain in writing their reasons when they deviate from the presumption. Suttonberg said Secure DC did not expand eligibility for detention in a broad sense but aligned the legal analysis for certain violent crimes and added needed transparency.

By contrast, Katerina Semenova of the Public Defender Service urged delay and additional study. PDS asked the committee to wait for a comprehensive report from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) on pretrial detention and the effects of Secure DC; the CJCC report is due to the council on May 7 and the committee extended the public record on this item to May 21 to allow review of the study and public comment. PDS argued that the judicial standard for detaining an accused person should remain highly protective of liberty because pretrial detention inflicts serious collateral harms.

Committee members questioned witnesses about which metrics to evaluate: detention population, lengths of stay, reoffense rates for released defendants, and how pretrial supervision performs when populations grow. Appiah said the city's detention population has stabilized after a post-pandemic dip and that law-enforcement partners consider the extended statutory tools among several successful changes. Critics said the linkage between the statute and changes in crime trends is not a simple causal path and urged careful, evidence-based review.

Why it matters: The litigation and policy balance between liberty and public safety is central to this bill. Prosecutors and the deputy mayor argued judges need the statutory tools to hold defendants charged with serious violent offenses pretrial; defenders and some council members warned the city should await a CJCC data study and guard against overbroad presumptions that could lead to unnecessary detention. The committee left the record open and extended the pretrial detention comment period to allow review of the CJCC report.","The Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety heard extended testimony and questioning on the Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-188), which would make permanent provisions enacted under recent \"Secure DC\" emergency legislation that expand the categories of violent offenses subject to a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention and require written judicial findings in some cases.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Prosecutor warns Justice-Involved Youth bill could strip discretion; defenders say mentorship should be voluntary

Witness-support proposal draws federal, executive caution at Council hearing

Council committee hears concerns, praise as deputy mayor opposes Safe Passage bill

Pretrial-detention debate splits prosecutors, executive and defenders as Council weighs making Secure DC changes permanent