Candidate Questions

Detention would be requested for violent crimes and serious property crimes.

My administration will revert to the lower threshold.  Property crime is increasing at an alarming rate in Cook County, it is up to the state legislature to change the threshold. 

The state’s attorney’s office can recommend and promote policies that address the root causes of violence and help prevent harm before it happens

Programs that promote economic opportunity and positive youth oriented programs should be among them.

ACLU Questionnaire Andrew Kopinski

The war on drugs and disproportionate sentences for crack cocaine versus powdered cocaine helped produce disproportionate incarceration of people of color. 

Unfortunately, crime rates and victimization are higher in certain areas among people of color, which leads to relatively more incarceration of those committing crimes often against their own people. 

Education and economic opportunities can help those reentering society.  Diversion programs to treat  mentally illness and drug abuse can reduce recidivism. 

The State’s Attorney will promote community policing and problem solving policing to enhance police accountability and build much needed trust between the police and the public they serve while solving problems in the community.

People who are experiencing mental health disorders and substance use disorders need to be steered to diversionary programs for treatment, which can help get them out of the criminal justice system, reducing recidivism and saving taxpayers money.

Unemployment is low and the economy is strong.  Shoplifting $300 of groceries is a lot of groceries.  There cannot be free passes for all shoplifting because this leads to more property crime, which can result in physical harm to innocent people. The trends in property crime in Cook County are disturbing and need to be reversed. 

Diversion programs for the mentally ill, drug users, juvenile delinquents and others can be effective in keeping people out of the.criminal legal system, reducing recidivism, and saving taxpayers money.

 

The school to prison pipeline needs to be looked at carefully.  Rehabilitation of the young in the most effective manner needs to be the goal.  Children need to be taught to value their freedom and independence and avoid losing it by being caught in the criminal justice system.

As State’s Attorney, I will support the right to privacy of those seeking lawful health care in Illinois.  Criminal investigations will focus mainly on insurance fraud in health care. 

I would go to community meetings where these issues are being discussed.  Face to face meetings will enhance my understanding of the situation.  It will give me a chance to explain my more practical policies and show how they are better for dealing with crime.  This will also build trust and a relationship with the community.

Do you Support the Following?

Attempts to roll back the Pre-Trial Fairness Act

 Support amendments.

Increasing the threshold for prosecuting retail theft as a felony

 Oppose except for inflation

Increasing penalties for gun possession

 Oppose

Retroactive sentencing that reduces length of stay for eligible incarcerated people

 Support in drug cases.

Reestablishing opportunities for earned sentence credit to reduce long prison stays

 Support

Limiting / Prohibiting the use of police officers as School Resource Officers

 Support

Reclassifying low level drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor

 Support

Updating and publicizing a list of police officers in your jurisdiction with demonstrated credibility issues when testifying in court against a defendant along with a pledge not to call those officers

 Oppose..  Unclesr implications.

Deprioritizing prosecutions for the transportation or possession of cannabis without a sealed container

 Support

Deprioritizing prosecutions for consensual sex work

 Support

Deprioritizing prosecutions for driving on a suspended driver’s license or expired registration

 Support

League of Women Voters Questionnaire

The quality of life in Cook County has declined because of the increase in crime since 2015.  Crime has spread out from certain high-crime areas.   Crimes such as carjackings and shootings are taking place in previously high-quality neighborhoods such as a carjacking in the O’Hare neighborhood Jewel at Cumberland and Lawrence, the Portillos in Harwood Heights, and the Marianos in Park Ridge.  A woman was shot and killed during a carjacking in Harwood Heights which never happened before.  Things like this have caused a great deal of fear of crime in the public. 

 

“Why is the prosecutor believed to occupy the most powerful position in the criminal justice system?

 

Prosecutors have the authority and power to make all of the following decisions, at their sole discretion, all of which affect criminal defendants and the criminal justice system in general:  (1)  the decision to charge; (2) types of charges; (3) whether to recommend granting or denying bail; (4) plea agreements- whether to entertain such agreements and if so, the terms; (5) sentencing recommendations.”

I am not controlled by either major political party or by any politicians.  I have not been involved with or known the people involved with controversies at the State’s Attorney’s office of the past.  Being an outsider can be very beneficial in the current situation

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is not working well as evidenced by the high turnover rate and the increase in property crime in Cook County.   Kim Foxx is responsible for this.

High-quality prosecutors, like those at the top of other professions, work hard and are determined to contribute to society to make it better by pursuing justice against criminals.  Soft-on-crime policies such as not charging shoplifters with a felony as long as they shoplift items worth less than $1,000 are very demoralizing. 

I am not an insider so my answer concerning doing a good job prosecuting those crimes is limited.  However, it appears the overall criminal justice system is not working well since robberies and thefts including carjackings and car thefts have gone up dramatically.  We will make all the necessary policy changes to stop this disastrous trend.

At least a policy of low bail should be maintained.  For example, someone is accused of shoplifting $500.  Being released on no bail provides no disincentive to go out and shoplift again.  Bail equal to $500 would eliminate the short-term profit motive.  Bail with a positive amount of two or three times the amount shoplifted, $1,000 or $1,500, would provide an economic disincentive to further shoplifting. 

Possibly depending on the situation.  The group and the extent of the officer’s involvement in it need to be investigated on a case-by-case basis.

My biggest goal is to help significantly reduce violent crime and property crime in Cook County so that the people feel safer and more optimistic.  They will want to continue to live and do business in Cook County.  A culture of love and optimism needs to prevail over a culture of hate and fear among the people of Cook County.