A letter from Tamara to voters

Being a prosecutor is about seeking justice.  This means that fairness and equality under the law must always guide the decision-making process. For me, this means there is no place for ego and vanity. Our community is too important to let limited self-interest determine outcomes.

As your prosecutor, justice is the guiding principle in my office.  How I've put this principle into action is through a three-prong approach.

Three-Point Approach

Second Chances

First, I believe in giving people a second chance when they are young or otherwise not previously involved with the courts and the crime is not one of violence. In appropriate circumstances, I believe in trying to keep people out of the criminal justice system.

But to me, a second chance is not just dismissing a case outright. To me, a second chance is something that is earned by a defendant, with the court still watching and holding that person accountable for a period of time.

That's why since being elected, my office has recommended First Offender status for more than 38 defendants. We have also asked the court to place more than 64 people in the Boot Camp program as an alternative to a lengthy jail sentence. This is a huge increase over the prior administration. Unlike just dismissing a case outright (as was all too often done before), these alternatives keep someone under a watchful eye, but still offer them a chance to prove that their entry into the courts would be their last.

Repeat Offenders

If, however, I've seen someone back 2 or 3 times, I believe in stiff sentences. It's with those repeat offenders that we are getting strong sentences of 10, 15, and 25 years. When someone is a repeat offender, I believe in being tough. Drugs are not only illegal in and of themselves, they are also the cause of almost all crime of violence within the county. Nearly every murder we've had in this county since I arrived had at least some involvement with substance abuse, and the most heinous murders were directly related to the addict's altered state of mind or desperation to obtain drugs. If you want to halt the murders, we must stop the drugs. The best way I know how to do this is to seek very tough sentences for repeat drug dealers, and to encourage recovery at every opportunity.

Recovery

Which brings me to my final and perhaps most important belief - I believe in recovery from drug addiction. Since being elected, I've witnessed firsthand how quickly someone's life can be utterly destroyed by addiction. Not only does the addict destroy his own life, but typically the lives of those around him. Addiction wreaks havoc on families and loved ones.

Fortunately, I've also seen that recovery from addiction is possible. Recovery is possible no matter where someone lives in the county, what their financial situation is, or even how far gone into the depths of addiction they've fallen.

To that end, I've helped launch the STAR Court (see next column / or see above for more details on STAR Court). This program is now fully funded by participant fees, private corporate donations, and drug seizure funds and is a model for other new programs across the state at a time when the legislature is restricting and denying future drug court funding.

I've also gotten an Order of the Court approved in all three courts to allow for someone's fines to be suspended based upon their attendance at AA or NA meetings. This order is appropriate for charges where it is clear the defendant's underlying issue relates to substance abuse. So, if someone will attend a single meeting, we will agree to suspend $50 of fines; if they will attend 10 meetings, we will agree to suspend $500 in fines. None of this relates to restitution or court costs as those will still be required.

I have compiled and publicly share a list of every recovery center within a 100 mile range, with information on the cost, and details of each. This list has been wonderful for mothers and dads who contact me before their child is in legal trouble asking where they can find substance abuse help.

I also have printed a list of every AA, NA, and Celebrate Recovery meeting within about 75 miles and freely distribute it throughout the courthouse for folks wanting to know where they can find support immediately at little to no cost.

Alanon and Naranon are also a very important part of the recovery process. Designed to help family members of those addicted, these groups didn't exist in this county before my election. It took one mother, whose son I prosecuted for drug-fueled violence against her, to be inspired by all my office has worked towards. Upon successful conclusion of that case, she decided to start a Naranon program at the Buchanan First Presbyterian Church, which now meets the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m.

I have also organized an Anti-Drug March or Recovery Rally three times during my first term. The most recent one attracted a partnership with Healing in the Hills and the recovery community active within the county.

In my personal time I helped the group Healing in the Hills get started. I remain active in their efforts to bring more recovery options to Buchanan County, with a specific goal of getting a NA meeting held weekly in Hurley.