District Attorney presents semiannual gang report; supervisors call for public health partnership to address disparities

Irene Williams, supervising deputy in the district attorney’s gangs office, presented the DA’s semi‑annual gang report, which included slide‑based breakdowns of suspects, victims and charges during the reporting period. Williams said the office filed fewer gang‑enhancement or stand‑alone gang charges compared with the prior period but emphasized that the data show those affected are largely people of color.

Williams explained the difference between total charges for principal offenses and the subset reviewed by specialized units, noting that a principal charge (for example, assault with a deadly weapon) does not necessarily mean a gang enhancement was filed. She told supervisors that of the individuals charged with gang enhancements during the reported period, the vast majority were from communities of color.

Supervisors and the sheriff sought clarity about slide organization and how totals were computed; board members asked the DA to provide clearer charts and an explicit column showing total offenders charged with gang‑related enhancements. They also raised a sharp concern about the increase in juvenile firearm cases and asked whether the DA’s office works with public health and behavioral‑health partners on prevention strategies. Several supervisors recommended the DA share its data with the public health department so that public health analysts can produce complementary analysis and recommendations addressing root causes.

The board voted to receive the report and directed the DA’s office to work with public health and other partners on joint analysis and recommendations to inform prevention strategies. Members also urged clearer presentation of data in future reports to reduce confusion about unit subsets and charging practices.