Mike Schmidt will make the system fair
Our criminal justice system needs to work for everybody—not just the wealthy, the well-connected, or the lucky.
As District Attorney, Mike Schmidt will:
Oppose mandatory minimum sentences. Mike is in favor of repealing Oregon’s extreme Ballot Measure 11, which enacted mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes. These policies contribute to mass incarceration in Oregon and around the country. To put it simply: We should let judges judge. By moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to sentencing and allowing judges to take into account the defendant’s history, the prosecutor’s argument, a victim’s impact statement and the facts of the case, we can ensure we are making the best sentencing decisions for our community.
Share all evidence with the defense—no matter what. Our criminal justice system can’t work fairly if a person charged with a crime doesn’t have the whole story. Mike will make sure any defendant charged by his office receives all exculpatory evidence relevant to their case.
Review wrongful convictions with an open mind. A wrongful conviction can occur even when everyone is doing their best, but it can also result from the misconduct of a police officer or prosecutor. Mike will commit to providing full and independent review to all reasonable claims of innocence, including expanded access to DNA testing.
Address the needs of women offenders: Women are the fastest growing segment of our prison population over the past three decades. As DA, Mike will create a specialty unit that will take a gender responsive approach to prosecution and work with community partners and system stakeholders to ensure women are treated fairly and with dignity.
Treat youth as youth. Mike will aggressively implement the mandates and spirit of The Youth Justice Reform Law (SB 1008) passed by the Legislature in 2019. As DA, he will strive to keep youth offenders in the juvenile system and out of the adult system—and work to shift the focus to prevention and rehabilitation.
Support funding for public defenders. Mike knows that public defenders have a vital role to play in our justice system. He will advocate for additional resources to improve their pay and reduce their caseloads.
Support unanimous juries. Oregon is the only state that allows criminal defendants to be convicted by a non-unanimous jury. This practice is a product of racism and xenophobia. Mike supports the repeal of non-unanimous juries at the state level.
Read the full platform here.
Mike Schmidt will make the system fair
Our criminal justice system needs to work for everybody—not just the wealthy, the well-connected, or the lucky.
As District Attorney, Mike Schmidt will:
Oppose mandatory minimum sentences. Mike is in favor of repealing Oregon’s extreme Ballot Measure 11, which enacted mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes. These policies contribute to mass incarceration in Oregon and around the country. To put it simply: We should let judges judge. By moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to sentencing and allowing judges to take into account the defendant’s history, the prosecutor’s argument, a victim’s impact statement and the facts of the case, we can ensure we are making the best sentencing decisions for our community.
Share all evidence with the defense—no matter what. Our criminal justice system can’t work fairly if a person charged with a crime doesn’t have the whole story. Mike will make sure any defendant charged by his office receives all exculpatory evidence relevant to their case.
Review wrongful convictions with an open mind. A wrongful conviction can occur even when everyone is doing their best, but it can also result from the misconduct of a police officer or prosecutor. Mike will commit to providing full and independent review to all reasonable claims of innocence, including expanded access to DNA testing.
Address the needs of women offenders: Women are the fastest growing segment of our prison population over the past three decades. As DA, Mike will create a specialty unit that will take a gender responsive approach to prosecution and work with community partners and system stakeholders to ensure women are treated fairly and with dignity.
Treat youth as youth. Mike will aggressively implement the mandates and spirit of The Youth Justice Reform Law (SB 1008) passed by the Legislature in 2019. As DA, he will strive to keep youth offenders in the juvenile system and out of the adult system—and work to shift the focus to prevention and rehabilitation.
Support funding for public defenders. Mike knows that public defenders have a vital role to play in our justice system. He will advocate for additional resources to improve their pay and reduce their caseloads.
Support unanimous juries. Oregon is the only state that allows criminal defendants to be convicted by a non-unanimous jury. This practice is a product of racism and xenophobia. Mike supports the repeal of non-unanimous juries at the state level.