OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--“Alameda County is my home, and I am passionate about my community. I am running for District Attorney because I know we can do better. Our criminal justice system does not work the same for everyone, and that is unacceptable. As a young man of color growing up in an under-served community, I know the impact of crime, injustice and continuous violence. No family should ever feel like a prisoner in their home. Our leaders are ignoring real harm to our communities, and our most vulnerable families are suffering the consequences the most. My goal as District Attorney is to make our streets safe and our criminal justice system fair. Truth, transparency, compassion and integrity will guide everything we do.” -- Jimmie Wilson
Wilson, a Democrat and longtime Alameda County resident, believes we need more accountability throughout the criminal system. Wilson believes we do not have to choose between seeking justice for crime victims and respecting the rights of criminal defendants, we can effectively balance our urgent need for public safety with a desire to work toward a more humane criminal justice system for everyone. Under Wilson’s leadership, the system will operate the same for all persons regardless of their background.
Wilson sees himself as a different kind of progressive. He will focus DA resources on tackling the alarming rise in violent crime in the county while simultaneously increasing opportunities and access into community-based diversion and first-time offender programs, as well as mental health, drug and veteran courts. He will dramatically increase the office’s role in targeted, community-based crime-prevention programs designed to reach those most at risk of committing or falling victim to violent crime. Wilson will push to expand the demographic and geographic reach of model programs like Oakland’s Ceasefire, focused particularly on juvenile outreach.
“Safety is a civil right. We need to make our criminal justice system responsive and fair for everyone. The reality is that crime escalates when we ignore and our most vulnerable communities suffer the consequences disproportionately.” - Jimmie Wilson
Under Wilson’s leadership, for the first time in Alameda County history, the DA’s office will collect and publish statistical demographic data addressing charging, plea negotiations, diversion assignments and sentencing actions for individuals in the system. Such data will be publicly available and used to implement results-based criminal justice policies, reduce disparities within the system, increase decision-maker accountability, and build community trust. In conjunction with researchers, nonprofits and community-based groups, this data can be used to develop targeted innovative practices to deter crime, improve the efficacy of diversion and first-time offender programs and increase equity system-wide.
Jimmie Wilson has the experience needed to face Alameda County’s criminal justice challenges today and the vision to bring the necessary changes to address the challenges it will face tomorrow. Wilson grew up in San Francisco’s Bayview District, an underserved and overpoliced community, experiencing first-hand the same community challenges facing so many Alameda County families today. He graduated from San Francisco’s Balboa High School and played intercollegiate football at San Jose State until suffering a career-ending injury. After SJSU, Wilson worked for over 15 years as a unionized plumber and attended school at night before receiving a scholarship to UC Berkeley where he earned an undergraduate degree in legal studies as a father of three. He attended UC Hastings College of the Law and joined the Alameda County District Attorney’s office nearly 16 years ago.
Jimmie Wilson’s experience includes handling some of the most complex homicide, gang, and sexual assault prosecutions in the office. He knows the ins and outs of the DA’s office and can work effectively to address its challenges from day one. Wilson sits on the Executive Board of the Hayward South County NAACP, currently working to provide implicit bias training to local Alameda County governments and police departments. He is a longtime member of the Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) call out team, and has represented the DA’s office in Oakland’s Ceasefire program, a nationally-recognized community-based crime prevention program.
Visit www.jimmiewilsonforda.com to learn more about Jimmie Wilson and his vision to reform criminal justice in Alameda County.