Kamala Harris’ criminal justice record: Get up to speed
Kamala Harris said in 2016 that she was California’s “top cop.” She was also a leader in trying to reform criminal justice four years later.
She was a polarizing figure in California. Her positions on criminal justice issues often shifted. So did her take on marijuana and some other issues.
Harris, now the vice president, was endorsed Sunday as the 2024 Democratic nominee for president by President Joe Biden as he announced he was leaving the race. Her record on criminal justice — as a former district attorney, California attorney general and U.S. senator — will face increased scrutiny once again.
We want to help you get up to speed: When she was first being mentioned as a vice presidential candidate four years ago, we wrote several stories looking at shifts in her views.
Harris was often a polarizing figure during her years as a California official:
- Kamala Harris in California: Big winner but a polarizing figure (Aug. 11, 2020)
We described how she “moved on controversial issues only once she saw what was politically viable.”
- Possible vice president pick Kamala Harris often avoided controversy in California. Here’s how (June 21, 2020)
Fact Check: Has Kamala Harris reversed her positions on criminal justice issues? (Sept. 12, 2019)
When she ran for president, she fielded criticism on her criminal justice record from fellow Democrats:
Fact check: Did Kamala Harris block evidence that would have freed inmates? (Aug. 15, 2020)
Fact check: Kamala Harris’s body camera comments didn’t tell full story of her record (June 28, 2019)
We found that in the late 2010s, Harris supported legalizing marijuana. But earlier, as a San Francisco prosecutor and California attorney general, she often had a different view.
- Fact check: Where does Kamala Harris stand on marijuana? (Oct. 7, 2020)
Here’s Harris as top cop — and then top cop reformer:
- She once called herself California’s ‘top cop.’ Where is Kamala Harris on police reform now? (Oct. 7, 2020)
This story was originally published July 21, 2024 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Kamala Harris’ criminal justice record: Get up to speed."
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