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The los angeles district attorney under fire for a set of reforms he's instituted for his prosecutors amid a spike in the murder rate. the d.a. says his goal is to bring more fairness to the criminal justice system. but critics are blasting the reforms as failing to do anything to stop crime, and they say criminals appear to have the run of the streets. more tonight from cnn's nick watt. >> reporter: downtown los angeles. packages are being stolen from trains. that trash is the aftermath. >> what the hell is going on? it looked like a third world country. >> reporter: what the hell is going on...

The los angeles district attorney under fire for a set of reforms he's instituted for his prosecutors amid a spike in the murder rate. the d.a. says his goal is to bring more fairness to the criminal justice system. but critics are blasting the reforms as failing to do anything to stop crime, and they say criminals appear to have the run of the streets. more tonight from cnn's nick watt. >> reporter: downtown los angeles. packages are being stolen from trains. that trash is the aftermath. >> what the hell is going on? it looked like a third world country. >> reporter: what the hell is going on...

The alarming images of empty boxes scattered over train tracks in los angeles county is just wn sign of the crime wave hitting america's second biggest city. shipping companies say they've seen a dramatic spike in railroad thefts, and one of the nation's biggest railroad companies say they moy avoid operating in los angeles due to the spike. cnn's national correspondent nick watt has the story. >> reporter: downtown los angeles, packages are being stolen from trains, that trash is the aftermath. >> what the hell is going on? looks like a third world country. >> reporter: what the hell is going...

A house party near los angeles over the weekend. last year, the city recorded its highest homicide totals since 2007. amid the increase, cnn's nick watt reports, l.a. county's new district attorney is now facing a wave of criticism from police, from businesses, from citizens, and from even his own prosecutors for policies they say are not tough enough on criminals. >> reporter: downtown los angeles, packages are being stolen from trains. that trash is the aftermath. >> what the hell is going on? i mean, it looks like a third world country. >> reporter: what the hell is going on? well, union pa...