Page 16 - Florida Sentinel 10-23-20

Local
State Attorney’s Office Announces Steps Toward Racial Justice
Last week, Hillsborough County State Attorney An- drew Warren announced a series of Action Steps devel- oped in collaboration with a wide range of grass-roots or- ganizations and leaders from the Black community, includ- ing the Hillsborough County Branch of the NAACP, to ad- dress racial injustice, in- crease transparency, and pursue greater equality in our criminal justice sys- tem.
Attorney Warren said, “We’ve been listening to the voices in our community call- ing out for change, and we’ve been meeting with people from every part of Hillsbor- ough County to shape our next steps. We’re taking ac- tion on several of these ideas, and there will be more to come in the future.
“I remain committed to
shaping a 21st Century pros- ecutor’s office --- one that tackles racial disparities, en- gages with the community, and builds trust through transparency. We’ve done a lot in the past three-and-a- half years to move in the right direction, with smart reforms that make our com- munity more safe and our justice system more fair, but we know we have more to ac- complish.”
The Action Steps for Fair- ness & Engagement an- nounced include:
Racial Justice Work Group
Creating a focused work- ing group with representa- tives from the community and State Attorney’s Office to identify important commu- nity issues related to racial injustice and develop consis-
ANDREW WARREN Hillsborough County State Attorney
tent responses to address them.
Use of Deadly
Force Review
Expanding outreach ef- forts to reach more groups
and provide more clarity each time the State Attor- ney’s Office reviews whether criminal charges are appro- priate in a case involving the use of deadly force by police or civilians.
Community Engagement
Growing community con- nections by encouraging staff engagement and considering community involvement in staff evaluations and promo- tions. State Attorney War- ren will continue monthly and quarterly meetings with community groups, including the Hillsborough Branch of the NAACP, faith leaders, and the public at large.
Minority Prosecutor Recruitment
Taking additional steps to recruit a staff that reflects our
community by formalizing our ongoing support of the National Black Prosecutors Association and establishing partnerships with law schools at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Better Sentencing Analysis
Investing in tools and re- search to evaluate sentences and plea arrangements, aim- ing to ensure that people with similar crimes and sim- ilar criminal histories are not receiving vastly different consequences.
Members of the public can suggest potential topics for the Racial Justice Work Group to address on the State Attorney’s Office website at sao13th.com. The website also gives more specific de- tails on each element of the Action Steps outlined above.
PAGE 4-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2020