NEW APPROACH. EXPERIENCED PROSECUTOR. COMMUNITY AND VICTIMS FIRST.
STRATEGIES
JUVENILE CRIME
Juvenile offenders must be held accountable for the crimes they commit. For those legal guardians who stand by, thereby enabling juvenile offenders to commit crimes, they also must be held accountable. Lauren understands that policy and prosecutorial considerations are complex. In juvenile crime discussions nowadays, public safety is mentioned in passing without any meaningful, demonstrated consideration. This must change. Lauren will work with all stakeholders to prioritize public safety first.
COMMUNITY AND VICTIMS FIRST
The criminal justice system has a short memory when it comes to upholding justly imposed punishments rightfully earned by violent offenders. Lauren has seen firsthand the trauma, despair, and tears from families of victims who are baffled by a criminal justice process that never seems to come to an end - even after a conviction. Lauren has seen families of victims become outraged while watching entire courtroom proceedings focused entirely on the criminal offender with only a passing concern for what crime the offender committed that landed them in prison to begin with and no regard for the catastrophic impact of the crime itself on the family. Lauren will fight to ensure that post-trial outcomes are victim and community focused first.
QUALITY OF LIFE CRIMES
Crime negatively impacts everyone's quality of life. Strategic prosecution is key because the penalties for quality of life crimes are lower. Lauren's years of experience in fashioning sentencing recommendations takes into account restitution, rehabilitation and punishment - this drives down recidivism. Lauren understands that financial distress, trauma, and drug addiction are primary drivers of lower-level crimes. Lauren will work to advocate for programming and policies that will help mitigate these crime-drivers and lower recidivism.
GETTING STRATEGIC IN HOLDING VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE
Lauren hears and understands the community’s frustration when violent probationers commit new crimes in the community. As she has done in the City, Lauren will work to establish and build out a structured prosecution process to hold violent probationers accountable when they commit new crimes. Lauren also understands that criminals do not abide by jurisdictional lines. As she has done in the City, Lauren will continue to work across jurisdictions to ensure violent offenders are held accountable.
COLLABORATION
Lauren is a proven collaborator. Lauren has worked with prosecution offices in jurisdictions throughout Maryland and across the nation - regardless of political leanings. Public safety is a bipartisan concern. Lauren has worked extensively in collaboration on public safety matters with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, community members, parole and probation partners, legislators, defense attorneys, innocence projects, and academia. Lauren understands that it takes a village to keep communities safe and she will continue to work alongside all stakeholders to achieve that end.
GETTING IT RIGHT
Lauren puts the community and victims first. Leaving a person in prison for a crime they did not commit leaves a criminal out on the street, the community less safe, and victims without justice. Any true prosecutor works everyday with the goal in mind to make sure justice is done through fairness. If at any point in the criminal justice process a prosecutor learns that the wrong person has been charged or convicted, a prosecutor is obligated to fix it. Prosecutors across courtrooms do this everyday when charges are dropped before trial.
Lauren understands the complexity in those rare instances in which a person has been convicted of a crime not committed. Lauren does not shy away from understanding that it is her duty as a prosecutor to fix it when it happens. Lauren created and built the Conviction Integrity Program in the City. This program is designed to handle reviews of post-trial claims of wrongful conviction. With meticulous thoroughness, Lauren has led the investigations, fought for - and exonerated - 14 men convicted of murders they did not commit.
ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
High morale is key inside any well run, successful administration or organization. Lauren knows firsthand that prosecutors handle high case loads, often involving horrific crimes, while making life altering decisions - every day. There is a growing understanding that this often results in vicarious trauma which contributes to low morale and attrition. Low morale and attrition can result in lower prosecutorial effectiveness in handling cases thereby jeopardizing public safety. From the first day on the job, Lauren will put her proven administrative skills to use in initiating the development of wellness programming. As she has successfully done as a seasoned leader and supervisor in the City, Lauren will work to ensure all staff are treated with dignity and respect, which includes fighting to ensure fair salaries for all staff.
MENTORING AND TRAINING
Lauren understands that the mentoring and training of prosecution staff is critical for agency stability
- which leads to quality preparation of cases yielding better results in court. A prominent voice both statewide and nationwide, Lauren has spent years presenting to and training prosecutors and support staff. Lauren has the proven experience in development and execution of training protocols that she will put to use.