Thread by @Taniel

let's chat about mass incarceration & local elections

@jduffyrice, in 2016: "If you want to fix mass incarceration but don’t know name of your local DA—or when the primary is, or who is opposing them – you are making biggest mistake"

well, PA votes Tuesday. NY & VA in June. 1/

DAs have tremendous discretion, & have been a driver of incarceration rise. If you live in CA, NY, MS, PA, VA, you may be voting for DA this year, & it matters: appealpolitics.org/2019/previewin…

& if in PA, you may be voting for a DA in 4 days! Moment to find out: appealpolitics.org/2019/stage-is-…

PA's marquee primary this year is Pittsburgh. The DA railed about "socialists & the ACLU." His opponent has called the legal system a "black hole" & vowed reform.

We know from Boston or St Louis just this year how much change such contrasts can affect. appealpolitics.org/2019/pittsburg…

And that's just the start. There are blockbuster elections in coming months that could reshape criminal legal system in NY, MS, VA.

Clock ticking to get involved/informed! Where to start?

See @TheAppeal's primers on:
MS: appealpolitics.org/2019/mississip…
& NY: appealpolitics.org/2019/in-2019-n….

Will your DA seek the death penalty? charge ppl for having pot? respond punitively to opioid crisis? detain pretrial for being too poor to post bail? care about immigrants at risk of deportation?

All things we care about in national debate but then often forget at local level!!

You can see in @TheAppeal's interviews with 2 candidates in VA (Arlington & Fairfax) that there's a world of change that could be done in this space.
1) appealpolitics.org/2019/interview…
2) appealpolitics.org/2019/interview…
(Oh, and those 2 elections are in June!)

one candidate on why DAs matter:

New DAs like this have been getting into office in past years. We got Krasner's moves against bail, or Rollins's Boston mega-memo: appealpolitics.org/2019/rachael-r…

And local activists have been so central to all this. A core reason to pay close attention. appealpolitics.org/2018/how-activ…

Bottom-line: These local elections this year (this month!) are SO important if you care about mass incarceration.

They're low-profile, but @TheAppeal Political Report is building a platform to follow them & stay informed. Check out now & throughout year: appealpolitics.org/criminal-justi…

okay, 2 final links
(1) @jduffyrice's great essay on powers of DAs that started this thread:
sevenscribes.com/whos-responsib…
(2) if this stuff interests you regularly, I have a newsletter too! you'll also get content on criminal justice reform in legislatures.

https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/1010556502271250435