On The Issues
INNOVATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
Richmond will continue to be a leader in innovative criminal justice reform, which recognizes the historical and race-based inequities in the criminal justice system and seeks to minimize or eliminate them.
* Our office will continue to oppose cash bonds for most non-violent offenders, so that those individuals can maintain employment and support their families.
* We support the use of evidence-based pre-trial conditions in lieu of pre-trial incarceration.
* Our office will continue to offer non-violent offenders the opportunity to have criminal charges reduced or dismissed upon completion of community service and/or restitution to the victim.
* Our office will maintain and expand services and programs that provide alternatives to incarceration, so that non-violent offenders can receive both the appropriate consequences for their criminal behavior and the opportunity to avoid the life-altering effects of jail or imprisonment.
INNOVATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
* We created an expansive "general continuance policy" which allows the offender to more easily expunge certain charges and maintain a clean record.
* Over 10 years ago, our office helped create the Mental Health Docket in order to divert offenders with mental health issues from incarceration to therapeutic treatment and resources.
* We refer medium and high-risk non-violent offenders to the Richmond Day Reporting Center, which provides behavioral therapy and life skills support to prevent recidivism.
* Drug users who are ready to confront and defeat their addiction are evaluated for the Richmond Adult Drug Court and can complete that program in lieu of incarceration.
* First Felony Scrutiny: a supervising attorney must approve the decision to prosecute an individual for a charge which could result in their first felony conviction.
* All prosecutors have received implicit bias training and will receive mandatory continuing legal education on related topics.
Community Engagement
As Richmond's Commonwealth's Attorney, I have as duty to be accessible and responsive to the community. Our office must have an active presence throughout the city and I will ensure that my office listens to and engages with all those who seek equity and justice in the city of Richmond.