I would like to thank the Dorchester Reporter for giving me the opportunity to tell your readers why I believe I am the best candidate running for Suffolk County District Attorney.

I am running for District Attorney because as a resident Jamaica Plain, one of the neighborhoods most impacted by crime and the criminal justice system, I have a personal stake in wanting to end criminal activity in my neighborhood and in every neighborhood of the County.

We need a District Attorney who is not only committed to taking criminals off the streets but who also understands that breaking up gangs and putting violent people in jail is only part of the solution. We must also be smart on prevention and intervention. We must invest resources at the front end to stop crime before it starts.

I would expand safe neighborhood programs in other neighborhoods throughout Suffolk County that are experiencing an upswing in criminal activity…in neighborhoods like Uphams Corner and in South Boston, in East Boston.

Eighty percent of those newly released from prison are released into twenty percent of the communities throughout Suffolk County, to neighborhoods like Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End, East Boston and Chelsea. As a former Middlesex County prosecutor with the Priority Crimes Unit, my job was to put the bad guys away. But, you can't lock the bad guys away forever. So we are currently faced with a situation where the new releasees are coming from prisons, despondent because of the lack rehabilitative services while in prison, and being released into communities where there are no support services to help them turn their lives around. As a result, many are reverting back to their old criminal ways and finding themselves in turf battles with the new young turks who've taken over. Too often, community residents are being caught in the crossfire.

So what do we do at a time a crisis, of budget cuts to essential services? We look to those programs in our community that are results oriented and we work to build upon their successes. For some programs, it's a matter of fighting for more resources. I would be an activist D.A. who would fight for more resources that help people turn their lives around, programs like Roxbury's FIRST, Inc., Latinas y Ninas and Project Hope right here in Dorchester and the many fine programs at the Bowdoin Street Health Center. I would be an advocate to bring more resources to the table from private companies. I would hire a full time fund raiser/grantwriter for the DA's office. And I will advocate for promising programs like Rep. Marie St. Fleur's Second Chance program.

In my community, I have always been a strong advocate for our young people. At the height of gun and gang violence of the 90's, Dr. Joseph Warren and I co-founded 1,000 Black Men, a mentoring program for at-risk youth. I am particularly concerned about young people who are caught up in the throes of drug addiction. We need to expand programs that help youthful non-violent first time offenders. I believe that prison beds should be reserved for hardened drug dealers and violent criminals. Drug addiction, particularly among our teens, is widespread in every community throughout Suffolk County. Recently, while campaigning in South Boston, a mother approached me as I was walking down East Broadway and invited me to a meeting of other mothers who were trying to find help for their children addicted to heroin. Because Roxbury experienced a horrific heroin epidemic in the 80's, I knew the history, the pathology and where the resources were. I brought some of those resources with me to the meeting. I believe the mother in Roxbury who loses a child to violence hurts the same as the South Boston mother who loses a child to heroin addiction. As your D.A., I will connect people to resources that will help save families and create safer neighborhoods.

I am running for D.A. because I believe that we are losing ground keeping the coalitions together that Ralph Martin and many members of the community, clergy and law enforcement officials brought together to create the "Massachusetts Miracle". I believe that the mutually respectful relationships that helped to ensure maximum public safety is unraveling. I am running because I believe the D.A.'s office currently is not taking the leadership role in maintaining or expanding these important relationships. I believe that the police should have the tools that they need to do their job and that the community should feel that they are being adequately served by the police. Sometimes it can be a delicate balance. I believe the much publicized discord and comments of the currently appointed interim D.A. Conley publicly admonishing the Boston Police Patrolmen Union to "tone down their rhetoric" does not lead to open, constructive discourse that takes us forward toward common ground. I support the quality leadership of Police Commissioner Evans. I also understand police concerns that they be protected against moving vehicles used as weapons. But I don't want another life lost in the debate because we can't sit down and work out a plan that works for everyone. Most importantly, the people of all the neighborhoods of Suffolk County have a right to feel safe and protected by those whose responsibility it is to afford that protection.

I am running because we cannot afford to go back to the days of shame that Newman Flanagan brought to our city with an office stacked with the politically connected rather than competent attorneys dedicated to the work of the people. For example, despite deep budget cuts to the office, the D.A.'s office recently has hired a $90,000 community relations person with no legal background. That money could hire almost three attorneys to deal with a backlog of cases and certainly one of them could function in a community outreach capacity.

For the record, I am a lifelong Democrat. I am running as an Independent. I changed my party affiliation in order to compete in the race. I took a page out of the playbook of one of the greatest public servants in Massachusetts history. Many of you may remember that the late Joe Moakley at one time also switched his party to Independent when he was faced with running against the more entrenched Louise Day Hicks. Can you imagine not having Joe Moakley as our Congressman? On the flip side, can you imagine the DA's office reverting back to the shameful days of Newman Flanagan?