Everyday Injustice Podcast Episode 60 - Arlington Prosecutor Parisa Tafti

Arlington Virginia Commonwealth Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti was elected overwhelmingly in November after stunning incumbent prosecutor Theo Stamos by a 52-48 margin. She ran a progressive campaign centered on criminal justice reform during a contentious and expensive primary. Her focus on reform has turned her into a target for reactionary criticis. As the Washington Post wrote recently: "Ms. Dehghani-Tafti is part of a new generation of prosecutors who have criticized tough-on-crime policies and have advanced an agenda for a smarter, more equitable, more compassionate judicial approach. That agenda may upset the status quo..." Recently her efforts to deliver on her promise "have run into opposition from judges who have taken highly unusual — and some say inappropriate — steps to undermine her discretion as the jurisdiction's top elected prosecutor." She told Everyday Injustice that one her main principles: "I don't want to make people felons if we don't have to."