State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, has named Diana Becton, the first woman and African to serve as Contra Costa County District Attorney, as the 2019 Woman of Year for the 9th Senate District.
The senator lauded DA Becton for her dedication to “disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline, reducing recidivism and incarceration rates, creating safe alternatives for low-level nonviolent offenders, and addressing the mental health needs of the community.”
“Diana Becton has had an extraordinary legal career, both as a judge and as an attorney, and she richly deserves this honor,” Skinner said. “She is also a forward-thinking district attorney, dedicated to addressing racial and economic disparities in our criminal justice system.”
Becton was sworn in as the county’s 25th DA on Sept. 17, 2017. She previously served for 22 years as a county judge. She’s the immediate past president of the National Association of Women Judges, the nation’s leading voice for women in the judiciary, and currently serves as the chair of the California State Bar Council on Access and Fairness, according to the senator’s office. She also serves on the advisory board of the Law Academy at De Anza High School in Richmond, and convenes “Get Your House in Order,” a program that assists elders and seniors.
“This recognition from Sen. Skinner highlights the work we all do as a community to keep Contra Costa County safe,” Becton said in a statement. “I will continue to lead my office into the direction of ensuring accountability within our criminal justice system, providing services to those impacted by crime, and collaborating with all of our partners to improve public safety. We must continue to advocate for policies that keep our communities safe, while also working toward a fairer and more equitable and transparent criminal justice system.”
