Currently, prosecutors in both the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems have too much discretion in pressing charges, determining what sentences are sought, and negotiating plea deals. Trial by jury is a key tenant of the American criminal justice system, but heightened prosecutorial power significantly reduces the power and frequency of a trial by peers. Attempts at sentencing reform must address largely unchecked prosecutorial discretion.
“Both candidates want to ban private prisons, but say nothing about prison-guards’ unions, which are more effective drivers of mass incarceration. The work being done by DAs like Ms Rollins show how real criminal-justice reform can be achieved.“
The Economist
August 29, 2019
Read More“‘We start with a presumption that, in most cases, these charges don’t need to be prosecuted,’ Rollins said in a statement accompanying the memo. ‘Dismissal, diversion, treatment, and services are much more often the appropriate outcomes’.“
WBUR Boston
March 26, 2019
Read More“Earlier this year, Rachael Rollins took office as Suffolk County DA. Many on the left praised her as a progressive reformer, while many on the right portrayed her as a rookie who is soft on crime. Morning Edition Host Joe Mathieu spoke with WGBH’s legal analyst Daniel Medwed to talk about Rollins’ progress just a few months into her tenure. “
WGBH Boston
March 19, 2019
Read More“But advocates say, so far, that’s not the case. Court Watch MA, a grassroots group that observes arraignments daily across three of the eight Boston Municipal Courts in Suffolk County, says that since Rollins’s Jan. 2 inauguration, its members have seen dozens of cases that seem to contradict her promises.“
The Appeal
February 6, 2019
Read More“Now, the National Police Association (NPA), a little-known nonprofit formed in 2017, has filed a bar complaint with the Office of the Bar Counsel in Massachusetts in a presumed attempt to strip Rollins’ law license. The complaint itself is unlikely to succeed, as it fails to clearly state how she violated the Massachusetts Bar’s ethics rules. But it is worth highlighting as a significant attempt to close the main “safety valve” against American mass incarceration: reform-minded elected prosecutors.“
The Crime Report
January 7, 2019
Read More“Two weeks ago, Rachael Rollins won the Democratic primary for District Attorney of Suffolk County, an outcome hailed by progressives nationwide. But she hardly had time to enjoy her success before critics emerged, expressing concern about her intention to decline to charge people with a range of petty crimes. WGBH's Morning Editionhost Joe Mathieu spoke with WGBH legal analyst and Northeastern law professor Daniel Medwed about Rollins’ victory, her vision for the job, and this criticism.“
WGBH Boston
September 18, 2018
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