Mayor hopeful Janeese Lewis George’s record on juvenile reform faces scrutiny

Janeese Lewis George, currently a D.C. Council member and leading Democratic candidate for mayor, previously served as an assistant prosecutor in the Juvenile Section from October 2016 to January 2019, during which the office shifted toward non-incarceration approaches. Under former Attorney General Karl Racine, the office launched programs like Alternatives to the Court Experience, a Restorative Justice Program and the ATTEND truancy initiative, reporting thousands of participants but also noting that a portion re-offended.

George now describes that era as “juvenile justice reform” grounded in “innovative, evidence-based practices.” Her platform mixes calls for aggressive gun crime enforcement and more detective funding with proposals to replace police with health workers in certain emergencies and to expand home-visiting services for youth. She enjoys backing from Racine and the Democratic Socialists of America, yet faces sharp criticism from President Donald Trump’s administration and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who label the district’s juvenile system as too soft. The race pits George against a Green Party opponent in a heavily Democratic district, setting up a potential clash over public-safety policy at the federal level.