Cool Cleveland Interviews Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Candidates
As a service to the community, Cool Cleveland has invited all five Cuyahoga County Prosecutor candidates to respond to a series of questions prior to the primary election on Tuesday, March 6, 2012. Because no Republican candidates are running, the Democratic candidate with the most votes in the Democratic Primary onTue 3/6 will become the next County Prosecutor. Responses to these questions will be reprinted verbatim, up to the requested limit of 350 words total.
QUESTION 1: (two parts)
On a scale of one to ten, please rate the current prosecutor’s office.
Stephanie Hall response: No response
Then, in 350 words, please tell our readers what you would do differently.
Stephanie Hall response: I believe that the prosecutor’s office should be rated by the community it serves. I will rate the office based on comments and complaints that continue to resonate from community groups, defense attorneys, and individuals who have been directly affected by the criminal justice process.
One consistent complaint is that “Cuyahoga County perpetually overcharges low-level nonviolent drug offenders.” ACLU of Ohio, Overcharging, Overspending, Overlooking Cuyahoga County’s Costly War on Drugs, June 2011. The ACLU report found that “In 2009, Cuyahoga County had the highest number of commitments to prison of all Ohio counties, constituting 19.9% of the total intake of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.” At first glance, 19.9% appears to be a relatively small portion of the state prison population. But Cuyahoga County’s adult population makes up only 10.9% of Ohio’s entire adult population. Thus, the fact that almost 20% of the incarcerated individuals are from this county is an outrageous, shocking, and disturbing percentage. As a result of this statistic, and addressing this specific issue, I would rate the prosecutor’s office at a five out of ten.
I will actively address the issue of overcharging defendants for non-violent low-level drug offenses. Within the first six to nine months as Prosecutor, I will establish a steering committee comprised of current and former assistant prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law enforcement officials who will identify the top five most critical practices of the Prosecutor’s office that the committee believes have failed the criminal justice process. One of the practices that must be addressed is the issue of overcharging. I will work diligently with various municipal and drug courts throughout Cuyahoga County to ensure first time offender initiatives and drug treatment programs are effectively and appropriately utilized and serve as alternatives to incarceration. If a defendant qualifies as a first time offender and successfully completes a drug treatment program, the defendant would have his or her case dismissed or conviction expunged. The County’s limited resources and jail space should be reserved for offenders who pose a real threat to the community.
One Response to “Prosecutor Candidate Hall Rates The Current Prosecutor’s Office”
Art McKoy
Yay! She soft on drug offenses. Brother Art likes! Never mind cleaning up the office of the “good old boy network”. You know where your bread is buttered!