In a move that signaled a sharp shift in its approach to crime, the D.C. Council on Tuesday passed an emergency bill that would give judges more leeway to keep violent crime suspects in custody while awaiting trial.
The bill, which passed 12-1, also increases penalties for certain offenses, such as firing a gun in public and strangulation.
The vote came after months of rising crime in the city, with homicides up 17% and sex abuse up 35% in the first six months of 2023 compared to the same period last year.
“We are in a state of emergency,” said Councilwoman Brooke Pinto, who sponsored the bill. “And like in any emergency, we have to act like it, and we have to act urgently as a government to address the problem that we’re seeing.”
The bill was met with mixed reactions. Some praised the council for taking action to address the city’s crime problem, while others criticized the bill as being too harsh and likely to lead to mass incarceration.
“This bill is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough,” said D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee. “We need to do more to address the root causes of crime, such as poverty and lack of opportunity.”
The bill is now headed to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s desk for her signature. Bowser has not yet said whether she will sign the bill, but she has said that she is “committed to doing everything we can to keep our city safe.”
The passage of the emergency crime bill is a sign that the D.C. Council is taking the city’s crime problem seriously. However, it remains to be seen whether the bill will be effective in reducing crime. Only time will tell whether the council’s efforts will be enough to turn the tide on the city’s rising crime rate.