E-Blast: RCCA Passage in D.C. is a Big Win for Public Safety Advocates and HIT Research ✅  

HIT NEWSLETTER

RCCA Passage in D.C. is a Big Win for Public Safety Advocates and HIT Research  

Over a decade in the making, the District of Columbia (D.C.) Council overrode a veto to pass the Revised Criminal Code Act (RCCA) this week. The revised code will serve to recondition DC’s current criminal justice system, clearly defining crimes, terms, and penalties and repealing outdated offenses.

Last year, DC Justice Lab and FWD.us commissioned HIT Strategies to conduct a poll of registered voters in the D.C. area about the RCCA. The findings show that 83% of voters supported the bill. 

This revised code is a positive step toward implementing progressive public safety policies supported by most communities across America. We congratulate DC Justice Lab Executive Director Patrice Sulton and FWD.us on their effort to tackle a tough issue. This is a big win for advocates wishing to reimagine public safety and reform the criminal justice system.

Reimagining public safety remains an idea supported by a majority of American voters, and our data support the case. HIT Strategies partnered with Change Research to learn attitudes about approaches to public safety. Our work found that voters prefer funding non-police responders and social services over police budgets.