Safeguarding youth and children

By Kamala D. Harris

• Created a specialized Child Assault Unit to prosecute offenders who sexually or physically abuse children.
• Strengthened the Domestic Violence Unit.
• Dramatically raised the conviction rate in domestic violence trials.
• Established the Support for Kids and Youth Program ("SKY"), which provides on-site counseling to children who are victims of family violence.
• Authored and sponsored the first prison enhancement passed by the California legislature in ten years, increasing prison time for sex offenses against children.
• Spearheaded San Francisco's first Safe House for sexually exploited youth.
• Co-Sponsored the California Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which makes human trafficking a felony in California. The Act is the most comprehensive state law in the nation, combining criminal penalties, civil remedies and new protections for crime victims.
• Created the nation's first Human Trafficking Unit in a local prosecutor's office.
• Authored and sponsored the first prison enhancement passed by the California legislature in ten years, increasing prison time for sex offenses against children.