For the Defense - Vol. 9, Issue 3 - 26

1. What are your primary goals if elected as Pennsylvania Attorney General, and how do you plan to achieve them?
The Attorney General is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Accordingly, my primary goal as Attorney
General will be public safety. The key priorities in protecting Pennsylvanians will be:
*
*
*
*
*
*
Combating the fentanyl/opioid addiction and overdose death crisis in Pennsylvania;
Addressing the mental health component of criminal justice;
Preventing gun and gang violence;
Stopping child predators, including those online;
Protecting the elderly from abuse, including consumer protection for senior citizens;
Increasing diversion and reentry opportunities in the criminal justice system.
As Attorney General, I will accomplish these goals following the core principles that I implemented as District Attorney of York County. This
methodology is summarized as follows in the York County District Attorney's Mission Statement that I enacted during my first term in office:
The York County District Attorney's Office shall serve as a leader in establishing justice system innovations that promote public
safety and community well-being. This office will accomplish these measures through collaboration and developing partnerships
with the diverse York County community, which include neighborhood leaders and stakeholders, law enforcement, business and
professional institutions, service providers, faith-based entities, and other governmental agencies and elected officials. The use of
evidence-based practices shall guide this office in determining which methodologies will best reduce recidivism, increase public
safety, and improve the quality of life for all individuals within York County.
I personally know through my tenure as York County District Attorney that this collaborative and informed approach in implementing public
safety initiatives based upon accountability and redemption is successful. During my tenure, our York County public safety initiatives resulted in
significant reductions in recidivism, prison population, criminal docket and probation supervision caseloads, and a 30% decrease in overall crime
during my first term. Additionally, as District Attorney we saw a 26% drop in overdose deaths despite an approximately 15% increase statewide,
as well as an 80% reduction in gang-related gun violence and 59% reduction in shooting victims from 2022 to 2023. Bottom line is this works
and I look forward to bringing this approach to public safety to all of Pennsylvania as Attorney General.
2. How do you intend to ensure that those charged with crimes are treated fairly and justly within the legal system?
As an experienced prosecutor and courtroom litigator, I fully understand and appreciate the critical need to protect the constitutional and
statutory rights of defendants, as well as securing the rights of victims of crime. Doing this correctly not only guarantees the integrity of our
system of justice, but also decreases crime and increases public safety.
I touched on my philosophy regarding how we guarantee fundamental fairness and justice as part of my response to Question 1, specifically
concerning accountability and redemption. But the best statement of my approach is found in the following portion of my previously cited
Mission Statement for the York County District Attorney's Office:
The Mission of the York County District Attorney's Office is to attain justice through pursuing the truth and safeguarding the
fundamental fairness guaranteed to all individuals through the Constitutions and laws of the United States of America and the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This office will neither make nor tolerate any actions, procedures, or decisions based upon invidious
discrimination, as such measures are contrary to any notion of justice.
In the pursuit of justice, the York County District Attorney's Office will vigorously assert the rights of victims, while also firmly
protecting the rights of the accused. All prosecutorial decisions, including charging and final disposition, shall be made with
consideration of the general sentencing standards outlined in the Judicial Code, which include the protection of the public, the
gravity of the offense as it relates to the impact on the life of the victim and on the community, and the rehabilitative needs of the
defendant.
As Attorney General, I will enforce these principles as the core competency of my office that every employee shall follow. I will further require
that all employees shall strictly abide by Rule 3.8-Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor from the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct.
26 For The Defense l Vol. 9, Issue 3
For the Defense - Vol. 9, Issue 3

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of For the Defense - Vol. 9, Issue 3
