Opinion: California study is asking crime survivors what we need

"Polly's name became synonymous with fear. And California's Three Strikes law swept through the legislature. Here's what legislators weren't doing: asking what would help us heal, what would make us feel safer, or what kind of system we actually wanted. They were looking for pain they could weaponize. And it worked. Politicians simply assumed they knew what victims wanted, and they used our grief to push an agenda that had little to do with actual safety or healing."

"The gap between what we're told victims want and what we actually need has felt impossible to close. That's why I'm so moved by what's happening right now in California. For the first time, researchers at the University of San Francisco are surveying crime victims, survivors and their family members who have participated in parole hearings for someone who harmed them or their loved one."

Polly Klaas was kidnapped from a bedroom and murdered when she was twelve. Lawmakers used grieving families to sell prewritten policies, turning Polly's name into a symbol of fear and enabling California's Three Strikes law. Politicians assumed victims wanted harsher punishment and weaponized grief to justify mass incarceration, despite research showing victims overwhelmingly prefer rehabilitation and community investment. Researchers at the University of San Francisco are surveying crime victims, survivors, and family members who participated in parole hearings to ask about actual experiences and unmet needs. The survey was co-designed with victims to reflect real concerns and identify needed support.

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