Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez is committed to advancing racial equity and transparency in the criminal justice system. As an elected district attorney, Gonzalez launched the Justice 2020 initiative in 2018, focusing on increasing community safety, fairness, and equal justice for all. To achieve this, the office partnered with the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance to study racial and ethnic disparities in the decision-making process.

The recently released report sheds light on the areas of improvement and highlights the impact of past policies and practices. Surprisingly, the report reveals that racial and ethnic disparities were not as widespread as expected, with Black and Hispanic individuals actually more likely to exit the system at various points. However, those who remained in the system experienced worse outcomes, indicating the need for further reform.

Gonzalez believes in collaborating with other system actors to address broader root causes of inequities and is dedicated to transparency and accountability. Through ongoing analysis and commitment to racial equity, Gonzalez aims to promote equal justice and a fairer criminal justice system