John Van de Kamp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Van de Kamp
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Van de Kamp in 2012
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| 28th Attorney General of California | |
| In office January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991 |
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| Governor | George Deukmejian |
| Preceded by | George Deukmejian |
| Succeeded by | Dan Lungren |
| 37th Los Angeles County District Attorney | |
| In office July 1, 1975 – July 1, 1981 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph P. Busch |
| Succeeded by | Robert Philibosian |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Kalar Van de Kamp
February 7, 1936 Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 14, 2017 (aged 81) Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Dartmouth College (A.B.) Stanford Law School (J.D.) |
John Kalar Van de Kamp (born February 7, 1936 – died March 14, 2017) was an American politician and lawyer. He held two very important jobs in California. First, he was the top prosecutor for Los Angeles County from 1975 to 1981. This role is called the District Attorney. After that, he became the main lawyer for the entire state of California. This job is known as the Attorney General, and he served from 1983 to 1991.
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John Van de Kamp's Early Life
John Kalar Van de Kamp was born on February 7, 1936. His family was well-known for their bakeries. He went to Dartmouth College and then studied law at Stanford Law School, finishing in 1959.
After law school, he worked as a lawyer for the U.S. government. He later became the first Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles. This job means he helped people who could not afford a lawyer. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson chose him to be the U.S. Attorney for Los Angeles. He became the District Attorney for Los Angeles County when the person before him passed away.
Serving as Los Angeles County District Attorney
As the District Attorney for Los Angeles County, John Van de Kamp made many positive changes. He greatly increased the number of women working as deputy district attorneys.
He also created special teams to handle specific types of cases. These teams focused on issues like gangs, family violence, and child abuse. He also started programs to help victims and witnesses of crimes. Plus, he set up quick response teams for incidents involving police officers.
Becoming California Attorney General
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In 1982, Van de Kamp ran for the job of California Attorney General and won the election. This meant he became the chief legal officer for the entire state.
During his time as Attorney General, Van de Kamp helped create a new division. This division focused on protecting public rights. It worked on important issues like the environment, protecting consumers, and ensuring civil rights for everyone. He also helped the Department of Justice use new technology. For example, he supported using DNA in forensic investigations to solve crimes.
Van de Kamp was re-elected as Attorney General in 1986 with a large number of votes. In 1990, he ran for Governor of California but did not win the election.
Life After Politics
After leaving public office, John Van de Kamp went back to his hometown of Pasadena, California. He started working in a private law firm. He also continued to be active in protecting the environment.
In 1977, he received an honorary law degree from Whittier College. He also served as the president of the State Bar of California from 2004 to 2005. This is a group that oversees all lawyers in the state. He also led the board of directors for the Planning and Conservation League, which works on conservation issues.
John Van de Kamp passed away at his home in Pasadena on March 14, 2017, at the age of 81.
John Van de Kamp's Personal Life
John Van de Kamp went to John Muir High School in Pasadena, California. His family is also famous for their bakeries and Lawry's Restaurants in Southern California.
Images for kids
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Van de Kamp in 2012
