Justice
Fighting for Justice
District 16, and Montgomery County more generally, has a population
that is profoundly invested in public affairs and the common good. We
understand that history will judge us not by how well the best of us are
doing, but by how well we protect those who are most vulnerable among
us. An ability to incorporate the prosperity of the entire community
into our assessment of our own success is perhaps the greatest measure
of our society.
Fairness. This one common principle underlies a wide array of
issues within the social justice platform that I support. I support the
following measures, I commend the legislators who have championed these,
and I pledge to protect and expand upon these advances.
What I Stand For:
- Gun Control: Expanded background checks that keep guns out of the hands of high-risk individuals and the removal of an array of semi-automatic assault rifles make our society safer, respect our lives, our rights, and our Constitution. See my legislative plan to combat gun violence here.
- Criminal Justice: 1) Bring state agencies into prisons to facilitate the procurement of 3 essential documents prior to parole: a) social security card, b) birth certificate, c) state-issued ID; 2) identify hiring employers to match with incarcerated persons prior to release, who in turn should be provided with skills training to match the vocation; 3) Bring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene into the prison to coordinate continuity of care into the post-release life of former inmates. Recidivism has been shown to be reduced when formerly incarcerated persons are provided with housing, shelter, and employment upon release. Education has been shown to decrease recidivism and improve reintegration into society, in part because it increases their marketability for employment.
- Mental Health and Drug Courts: Prisons aren’t good places to treat the mentally ill and they’re costing us too much; we need to provide access to improve mental health care and should expand Mental Health Courts and Drug Courts across the state.