Unfortunately, the philosophy of our recent Orleans Parish District Attorneys has been one of over-prosecution in both culture and practice in which screeners are not encouraged to be gatekeepers but rather serve as mere rubber stamps. It is all too common for the Screening Division to accept charges without regard to whether they can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt or whether the evidence underlying the charges was obtained legally, thus reinforcing a pernicious police mentality that almost every single arrest is legitimate.

Moreover, over-prosecution does not yield public safety benefits. In fact, it limits the focus that prosecutors can direct towards the most serious crimes. And the indiscriminate pursuit of relatively minor misdemeanor offenses like trespassing and loitering contributes to the cycles of poverty that are often associated with recidivism.

Take action and add your name to support Jason’s plan to use rigorous case screenings to increase family safety and ensure justice.