Q1 Please provide constituents your campaign contact information.
Name W. Andrew McCullough
Email Address wandrew48@ymail.com
Phone Number 801-565=0894
Q2 Please include any campaign website or campaign social media information below.
Website www.andrewmccullough.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/andy4ag
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?
I have seen those guidelines, and I will work to do something similar. I do not support the "war on drugs", and in particular the war on Marijuana users. I will work to minimize the damage from arresting people for having a health problem.
Q4 Do you support alternatives to incarceration?
Yes
Q5 If yes, what alternatives to incarceration do you support?
Other (please specify):
Most or all of the above
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?
We first need to educate law enforcement to see them as citizens rather than "bad guys". Then we need to deal with problems that cause crime and leave incarceration to the most serious offenses.
Q7 Do you believe that racial disparities currently exist in your county’s criminal justice system?
Yes
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?
I will make sure they know from day one that the goal is to do justice not to project power. We will review and staff charges that will help prevent future problems, not to concentrate on revenge.
Q9 Do you believe that claims of prosecutorial misconduct should be handled by an internal review board, such as a Conviction Integrity Unity?
No
Q10 Do you believe that claims of prosecutorial misconduct should be handled by an external review board, like the one proposed in Utah County?
