District attorneys wield enormous power in the criminal legal system. They have the power to decide the fate of people accused of crimes at every stage of a criminal case. They have tremendous sway over other actors throughout the criminal legal system, including police and judges.
See below for voter tools that include questions to ask district attorney candidates, election information, and dates for upcoming forums and debates.
To be an informed voter, it is important to understand the role of a district attorney (DA) and the impact of the DA’s choices. The Vera Institute of Justice’s New Orleans office developed this tool as a guide for residents participating in DA candidate forums and debates or performing research on the candidates. Voters can use this tool to familia ...
An initiative focused on centering racial equity in prosecution reform
Motion for Justice is a product of the Dignity, Racial Justice, and Prosecution Initiative led by the Vera Institute of Justice’s Reshaping Prosecution program and John Jay College of Criminal Justice’s Institute for Innovation in Prosecution.
Restorative justice is a framework that views crime, conflict, and wrongdoing as harm to relationships and not merely violation of the law by focusing on people who have been harmed and their needs, while also holding people who have caused harm directly accountable for those needs. Restorative justice successes include reduced recidivism, high sat ...