Why I'm Running: Betsy Young, State Attorney

Fundamentally, the job of the State Attorney is about three things: justice, public safety, and supporting victims. As State Attorney, I will pursue justice by modernizing the office to reduce mistakes and prevent false convictions. I will promote public safety by developing new initiatives to focus on crimes that are especially prevalent in our region, like crimes against seniors. I will support victims by fully realizing the promise of Marsy’s law: keeping victims informed, respected, and included in the process. These are all reforms that have made other Florida communities safer and more just – I think we deserve to be safer, too.

I will modernize our criminal justice system. For example, I will establish a multi-agency law enforcement task force, headed by the State Attorney’s Office, which would be empowered only to conduct high-level narcotics, vice, and organized crime investigations across jurisdictional boundaries throughout the 12th Judicial Circuit. This would mirror the investigative bureaus headed by other State Attorney’s Offices in Florida. This highly-specialized group of investigators would be assigned to concentrate on fraud and other crimes that tend to attack our seniors.

Here's another example of how modernizing our system will improve justice and public safety: Florida man Robert DuBoise was recently exonerated after 37 years behind bars for a rape and murder he did not commit. That was a terrible injustice for him, but also consider this: when DuBoise was falsely convicted, an actual rapist and murderer went free in the community. Our State Attorney’s Office currently has no mechanism to review possible false convictions like this one. I will create a Conviction Review Unit based on already-existing programs in other Florida circuits. This would ensure justice and protect the community from criminals who unjustly walked free.

A focus on training, technology, and trial support for line attorneys will reduce turnover, save money, and streamline prosecutions. Education, training, and best practices have come a long way in the last decade – we should take advantage of that. I will work tirelessly to protect the rights of victims, provide trauma assistance, and listen when victims speak out. We must keep victims informed and make sure that the most vulnerable victims – children and the elderly – are respected. To ensure public trust in these actions, I will make the office accessible for lawyers, victims, and the community.

I’m running for State Attorney because the 12th Circuit is in desperate need of reform and leadership that reflects the values of our community. I’ve spent my career working as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney and have had the privilege of working with professionals who believe in our justice system and who conduct themselves with integrity. We deserve a responsive criminal justice system that respects victims, keeps our communities safe, and treats everyone equally.