How Conservatives Can Make Prosecution More Productive

Conservatives have championed all manner of reforms in the criminal justice system in recent years, yet one area is conspicuous for its lack of attention: prosecutorial reform. While the political left has launched a “progressive prosecutor” movement, there has been no comparable effort on the right. But this is a fluke. Conservative prosecutors can and should embrace new approaches in order to become more fair and effective than their predecessors.

The actions of prosecutors necessarily implicate conservative criminal justice priorities relating to public safety, fiscal responsibility, due process, and the value of life and family. As such, conservatives should include prosecutor’s offices as a critical component of any criminal justice reform endeavor.

Reimagining conservative prosecution is not a zero sum game. Every stage of the criminal process presents opportunities for a conservative minded lead prosecutor to make life better for their own prosecutors, the community, and even many defendants. Further, these mutually beneficial policies represent the kind of locally driven policy that conservatives ought to cheer.