YOUR VOTE
Determines the State of North Carolina’s Justice System
POLICIES
set by criminal legal officials YOU elect
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ACTIONS
taken by criminal legal officials YOU elect
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The State of North Carolina’s Criminal Legal System
POLICIES
set by criminal justice officials YOU elect
+
ACTIONS
taken by criminal justice officials YOU elect
=
The State of North Carolina’s Criminal Justice System
Local elected officials can transform outcomes in North Carolina’s legal system, including:
Mass Incarceration
Police Accountability
Cash Bail
Use of the Death Penalty
Institutionalized Racism
School to Prison Pipeline
Local elected officials have the power to address the many of the current problems with North Carolina’s justice system, including:
Mass Incarceration
Police Accountability
Cash Bail
Use of the Death Penalty
Institutionalized Racism
School to Prison Pipeline
Sheriffs
The policies and actions taken by your local sheriff directly affect how the criminal legal system interacts with your community. County sheriffs have the power to set policies that impact the school-to-prison pipeline, gun ownership, mass incarceration, and much more. They also have the power to protect and care for those who are arrested and in jail.
District Attorneys
District Attorneys (DAs) wield tremendous and often unchecked power. Through their day-to-day decisions, DAs have the power to reduce local prison populations, eliminate the use of the death penalty, work to improve racial equity, and truly hold police accountable when they kill, injure, or otherwise violate someone’s constitutional rights.
Judges
The judicial system is full of racial disparities due to the current actions and decisions made every day by Superior Court judges, District Court judges, and magistrates across North Carolina. Judges and magistrates have the power to end the practice of setting cash bail, set the rules to ensure fair trials, and and make truly equitable judgments for all who enter the justice system.
Mayors & City Council Members
With the power of purse strings and appointments, mayors and city council members can have a big impact on how your local community dollars are spent. In terms of police accountability, the mayor and city council have the power to decide how local police departments are funded, and choose to fund alternative, community-led safety initiatives.