ACLU of PA Statement on Matt Dugan Primary Victory

PITTSBURGH -- The following statement can be attributed to Danitra Sherman, deputy advocacy and policy director at the ACLU of Pennsylvania:

"Like so many of the district attorney contests across the country, the race between Stephen Zappala and Matt Dugan came down to competing visions about how prosecutors choose to navigate and how they might work to reform the criminal legal system. We improve public safety when we focus on prevention over punishment, and by investing in communities to tackle the root causes of crime — like poverty and lack of opportunity. Tonight, Allegheny County voters chose reform, rejecting the failed tough-on-crime policies that were a hallmark of Mr. Zappala’s more than two decades in office. Should Mr. Dugan win in November, the ACLU of Pennsylvania looks forward to working with him at every opportunity to help realize meaningful and powerful reforms to the criminal legal system in Allegheny County."