On The Issues
“Public safety is my primary role. Achieving greater public safety means using common sense, compassion, and modern approaches that hold people accountable, connects them with community resources, and helps them move towards wellness and resilience, leaving prosecutors more time to address serious cases of harm.
“But we’ve learned that somtimes traditional punitive approaches can make things worse, and that many people can learn from a criminal charge, make amends, and move on without the permanent mark of a conviction.” — Jackie
Prioritizing Sex Crimes
I created a Sex Crimes Prosecution Team to reprioritize these important cases, take more sex assault cases to trial, and to adopt best practices to win them.
Also, as I pledged when I ran in 2022, we applied for and won a $2.5 million federal grant to test the backlog of every eligible rape kit in the County. Kits will be tested and investigations and prosecution, where appropriate, will follow.
Unsheltered Population & Mental Health
Our unsheltered population includes a significant percentage of people struggling with major mental illness and/or substance use disorder. Maine’s mental health system currently leaves most people with serious brain disorders without treatment and at risk to themselves and others, too often landing in the criminal legal system.
I have personally taken the cases of every defendant where mental competency is in question — over 200 and counting — using our limited tools to develop consistent approaches that get defendants the help they need while improving public safety.
Because Maine does not currently support long-term solutions, I am leading a statewide task force to identify persistent problems in our civil mental health system and propose solutions. I continue to advocate to the Legislature for long-needed changes.
Unsheltered Population & Street Diversion
I spoke forcefully against expanding encampments in Portland, knowing that access to care and housing navigators at a shelter facility instead would make an enormous difference for individuals and the community.
After Portland’s Homeless Services Center (HSC) opened, I worked with the City to initiate a street diversion program for low-level conduct to help people move into long-term housing and support. Since then, over 370 individuals have moved into housing from the HSC.
Drugs & Visible Substance Abuse
Even with overdoses falling, addiction still drives a significant portion of criminal cases, from drug possession and trespass to shoplifting and robbery.
As the primary prosecutor for the Veterans and Drug Treatment Courts for over five years, I know that interventions by the criminal legal system can save lives and families. For low-level drug offenses, I partnered with the Portland Recovery Community Center (PRCC) to develop a program that motivates offenders to engage with recovery resources.
The PRCC program is already regarded as a model by other prosecutorial districts in Maine. I am working with the Lakes Region and other Cumberland County communities to adopt the PRCC model. I am also expanding the PRCC program so law enforcement can use it for early intervention before a criminal charge is filed.
At the same time, I believe that serious drug trafficking — especially when it involves firearms or organized crime — requires serious consequences, including prison time.
Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice (RJ) holds a defendant accountable for their actions through an encounter with a victim or someone representing community values. For appropriate cases, RJ results in lower rates of recidivism than traditional prosecution.
I piloted a new RJ program and have since significantly expanded its use in Cumberland County. Up to 500 cases will use RJ over the next 12 months, mostly misdemeanor cases that will often result in a dismissal. RJ is equally available regardless of economic means, and this expansion will not be paid for by taxpayers.
Equal Access to Justice
Our criminal legal system is tilted in favor of those who can afford top representation and expensive programs. That’s why I use my power as District Attorney make sure everyone has equal access to justice.
Under my leadership, there is equal access to diversion programs regardless of income. Our restorative justice program, our new partnership with the Portland Recovery Community Center (PRCC), and deferred dispositions are offered on a sliding scale.