Harris regrets "unintended consequence" of truancy law she championed

Why it matters: Since joining the increasing large 2020 Democratic field in January, Harris has grappled with questions about her complex criminal justice record as San Francisco district attorney and California's attorney general.

• Criminal justice reform will almost certainly be a big issue in the primary, and some critics say Harris has been too close with law enforcement during her political rise.

Details: In Wednesday's interview, she explained that her intent with the truancy law was not to punish parents, but to send a warning. She also noted that as San Francisco's district attorney, her office never jailed any parents and the policy resulted in the increase of school attendance by more than 30%.

"My concern was if we don’t take seriously the need that we as a society should have to ensure that our children are receiving the benefit of an education, we will pay the price later. And those kids will pay the price, which is that they will end up in the criminal justice system, and that’s what I wanted to avoid."

Go deeper: Kamala Harris: Everything you need to know about the 2020 candidate