Q1
Please provide constituents your campaign contact information.

• Name Von Christiansen
• Email Address vjchristiansen@beaver.utah.gov
• Phone Number (435) 438-6441

Q2
Please include any campaign website or campaign social media information below.

• Respondent skipped this question

Q3
Topic 1: Reducing Utah Incarceration RatesUtah has made efforts to reduce incarceration through legislation passed in 2015
known as the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). The legislation aimed to reverse Utah’s trend of prison population growth at six times faster than the national average. Now law, the JRI changed sentencing and parole guidelines and created program
oversight to reduce incarceration and recidivism.As County Attorney, you will have the power to change office policy on many aspects of criminal prosecutions. For example, recently elected Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner issued a
memorandum to his staff outlining when to decline certain charges, when to offer diversions, and guidelines for plea offers and sentencing arguments. The policy changes are an acknowledgment of and an effort to end mass incarceration.

How will you incorporate the JRI’s goals of reducing incarceration and recidivism into your local County Attorney policies?

• Because many crimes are drug and alcohol related, treatment and counseling are key to the rehabilitation of oiffenders.

Q4
Do you support alternatives to incarceration?

• Yes

Q5
If yes, what alternatives to incarceration do you support?

• Other (please specify):
  • Effective criminal deterrence involves a combination of treatment, community service, electronic monitoring, fines and even jail, depending on the circumstances of the case.

Q6
Topic 2: Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice SystemThe Justice Reinvestment Initiative’s 2017 Annual Report found that the percentage of minorities newly committed to prison has increased from 34% to 43% since 2015, the year the JRI became Utah law. Before that time, the percentage of newly committed minorities had been stable at 34%. (Note that 2016 census estimates show that minorities only account for approximately 21% of Utah's population).

​What will you do as the County Attorney to prevent the racial disparities noted in the JRI's Annual Report from happening in your county?

• Racial discrimination is never appropriate, and prosecution must always be based upon facts and evidence. Guilt is established by analyzing the actions of the accused, not his or her skin color.

Q7
Do you believe that racial disparities currently exist in your county’s criminal justice system?

• No

Q8
Topic 3: Prosecutorial Misconduct Prosecutorial misconduct has been a concern nationally, which has led to the formation of
Conviction Integrity Units in many prosecutor offices to review allegations of misconduct. Prosecutorial misconduct has also been a concern in Utah where the Board of Utah County Commissioners has considered forming a prosecutorial oversight
committee.As County Attorney, what will you do to ensure that your office is transparent and accountable to accusations of
prosecutorial misconduct?

• As a small town prosecutor's office, we maintain an open door policy and a standing invitation to review pending cases with involved parties.

Q9
Do you believe that claims of prosecutorial misconduct should be handled by an internal review board, such as a Conviction
Integrity Unity?

• Yes

Q10
Do you believe that claims of prosecutorial misconduct should be handled by an external review board, like the one proposed inUtah County?

• Yes