Core Values:
respect for Rule of Law public safety
justice individual liberty
fairness fiscal responsibility
The Rule of Law is necessary to ensure society operates in a safe and orderly fashion. When laws are broken, good judgment is necessary to determine proportional responses to the crime. I possess the ability to discern the time to be tough from the time to provide restorative opportunities. My time as a public defender has provided me with a perspective in which prosecutors do not get to participate in the same way: conversations with defendants about their concerns, needs, and resources. These need to be understood in order to figure out an appropriate response to their behavior in order to best serve the community and to help the defendant to become law abiding.
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The role of a district attorney is to simultaneously balance public safety with the constitutional rights of all American citizens. I will increase public safety by creating awareness and searching out different strategies to deal with addiction and mental illness. I will meet with community members to discuss issues of concern and share information to help people protect themselves from becoming victims, of particular concern are older and younger citizens. I will collaborate with the police and professionals in the medical, mental health, and AODA fields to utilize their skill sets and expertise to develop plans of action. This combination will result in less crime, fewer victims, keeping families intact or restoring them, and realizing cost-benefits.
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Reducing the time delay between criminal behavior and an appropriate, proportional response also can help reduce crime, and in turn, the drain on staff time, budgets, and precious resources. This is a serious concern on which a district attorney can have an immediate impact. Getting defendants the help they need as soon as possible decreases the likelihood of recidivism, and thus helps the community. I will also ensure the efficiency of the office in dealing with other actors in the criminal justice system to obtain justice as swiftly as possible.
Actors in the criminal justice system have a responsibility to analyze the effectiveness of their decisions. If something is not working, we have an obligation to search for alternative answers and methods. It has become clear that we cannot keep doing business as usual. We owe it to the community (the taxpayers) to use its money, resources, and time wisely.
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When confronted with an issue, I will examine the relevant information and talk to those involved to determine whether the issue is being handled in the best possible manner or whether another way should be utilized. There is nothing wrong with considering something different ~ it could be an improvement that saves money or be more efficient.