Do you believe the Norfolk County DA’s office needs to make changes, and if so, what kind?
The Norfolk County DA's Office needs wholesale, cultural change. That's why I'm running and why I was the first candidate to introduce a comprehensive policy agenda with concrete solutions, including the creation of a first-of-its-kind Anti-Corruption Task Force, a real Conviction Integrity Unit, and a dedicated Cold Case Unit; a plan to eliminate politics from the work of the office; and ensuring that survivors, victims, and their families are at the center of everything we do.
Adam’s Top Priorities
Charge criminal offenders
Divert or dismiss simple drug possession cases
Ensure language access in the criminal legal system
Make sure all people have adequate access to legal help and the legal system
Prepare for and represent the state in bench and jury trials
Reduce violent crime
Remove violent offenders from the community
Reduce corruption
Support crime victims
Educate the public about the policies, practices and changes in the prosecutors’ office
Prioritize domestic and sexual violence initiatives
Hold law enforcement accountable
Restore public faith in the justice system
Protect at-risk senior citizens
Guarantee constitutional rights
Prevent recidivism
Other: Increase accountability across the board; strengthen support for and increase utilization of specialty courts, including mental health, recovery/drug, and veterans courts.
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Charge criminal offenders
Divert or dismiss simple drug possession cases
Ensure language access in the criminal legal system
Make sure all people have adequate access to legal help and the legal system
Negotiate with defense attorneys to resolve cases via plea bargain
Prepare for and represent the state in bench and jury trials
Reduce violent crime
Remove violent offenders from the community
Reduce corruption
Support crime victims
Educate the public about the policies, practices and changes in the prosecutors’ office
Prioritize domestic and sexual violence initiatives
Hold law enforcement accountable
Restore public faith in the justice system
Establish a Veterans court
Protect at-risk senior citizens
Guarantee constitutional rights
Prevent recidivism
Other
Please say a little more about what priorities you chose and why.
Under my leadership as DA, we will be laser-focused on public safety and public trust. As a former federal prosecutor, I know firsthand what is required to build an office defined by competence, trust, and professionalism, and where we will put the needs and rights of survivors, victims, and their family members at the center of what we do. Restoring public trust will require firm, thoughtful, decisive leadership and ensuring that the office is accessible, transparent, and accountable to all.
Do you believe it is your job to support:
✅ = yes ❌ = no ⚫️ = no response
✅ Expanded pre-trial services
✅ Alternatives to incarceration
✅ Diversion programs for youth offenders
✅ Diversion programs for mental health-based offenses
✅ Diversion programs for substance abuse related offenses
❌ Children being arrested in school for discipline-based offenses
✅ Expanding access to legal help within the legal system
✅ Devoting funding and staff time to community-based incarceration alternatives
✅ Victims who want to pursue criminal charges and no contact orders
✅ Victims who do not want to pursue criminal charges and no contact orders
✅ Limiting the use of cash bail in misdemeanor and low-level felony cases
❌ Holding youth in adult jails at any point in the adjudication process
✅ The limiting of misdemeanor non-dangerous offenses
✅ Immigrants that are concerned about possible deportation
✅ Clear public guidelines around the use of sentencing enhancements
⚫️ Use of independent prosecutors to investigate alleged police brutality
✅ Making the DA’s office more demographically representative
✅ Use of alternative metrics to conviction rates for measuring prosecutor performance
✅ Collecting and sharing de-identified trial and demographic data with the public, including bail and plea bargain offerings
✅ Use of an “open file” policy that provides defendants with information about their prosecution as early as possible
✅ Publicly sharing information on funding received through civil asset forfeiture
✅ Reducing re-incarceration for those who have violated probation
✅ Publicize policies you will advocate for as part of the Massachusetts District Attorney’s Association (MDAA)
Download our full candidate issue comparison
Please take 2 items in the above list and explain why this issue is or is not a priority for you, should you become DA.
Item 1: Use of independent prosecutors to investigate alleged police brutality
We've seen what can go wrong when the DA's Office flagrantly spends millions in taxpayer dollars hiring outside prosecutors and experts. As District Attorney, I will establish an Anti-Corruption Task Force, independent from other units, capable of investigating and prosecuting police misconduct and public corruption without conflict. We'll also have a senior prosecutor tasked with identifying conflicts of interest -- and when true conflicts exist, we will refer cases outside the office.
Item 2: Children being arrested in school for discipline-based offenses
Our understanding of human brain development highlights the need to take age into account when addressing the conduct of juveniles (obviously) and emerging adults alike. The DA's Office must be thoughtful about how it addresses criminal conduct in schools and how younger defendants are treated as they move through the criminal justice system -- with the fundamental goal of achieving the best result, both for public safety and for rehabilitation.