District Attorney George Gascon is investigating why San Francisco is prosecuting so few domestic violence cases.

Prosecutors bring charges in just over a quarter of the cases the DA's office reviews. That's far below the average for the rest of the Bay Area.

Gascon initially declined to comment on the low rate, which was reported by the San Francisco Public Press.

But at a press conference yesterday, Gascon acknowledged the data. "We are going to assess why that has occured. But it appears to be a trend that has taken place during the last decade. And today I do not have an answer as to why."

Gascon says he'll be turning to the Police Department and domestic violence community to get a better understanding of the low rate of prosecutions.