Candidates offer closing arguments

The Centre Daily Times asked the two candidates for Centre County district attorney — Michael Madeira and Stacy Parks Miller — to respond in writing to an identical set of questions. The questions and their responses have been published every Saturday during the campaign. This is the final question.

Why should Centre County voters elect you as their district attorney for the next four years?

Stacy Parks Miller

This election is a referendum on the job the incumbent is doing. My opponent has built his campaign on the claim that he has kept us safe. Has he? I question that for three reasons.

1. No district attorney is Superman. Safety is about “we,” not “me.” The strength of our exceptional police force, quality educational system and unique demographics are due most of the credit for our safety. We always have been safe in comparison with other places.

2. Are the safety statistics valid? The FBI says no and has lobbied Congressional Quarterly to stop publishing them, characterizing these rankings as baseless, damaging and misrepresenting FBI data. The FBI became so concerned by CQ’s misleading safety rankings that it posted a disclaimer on its Web site warning against use of the rankings. For Centre County’s purposes, this ranking does not include consideration of our most pervasive problem: crimes related to drugs and alcohol. These are the crimes that heavily tax our communities, use police manpower and fill our courts and jails.

3. Crime actually is rising in Centre County. The 2008 ranking my opponent cites contrasts with the real data from our prothonotary, new FBI statistics and Penn State’s latest Crime Report. The numbers from our prothonotary show that, compared with 2008, in January through September 2009, rape cases have almost doubled, drug delivery charges are almost even, and burglaries are already higher in number than in 2008 — with three months left in the year. The FBI says violent crime is up slightly. On campus, a recently released crime report shows sexual assault arrests are at an all-time high, and weapons, drug and alcohol arrests are higher than in the previous two years. In one August week, we had a murder, a rape, a stabbing and a large drug bust.

Most importantly, relying on a safety statistic misdirects attention. Quality people and institutions are due most of the credit for making sure bad things do not happen. The job of the district attorney is best defined as making sure justice is vigorously and competently pursued after a crime has been committed. The true success of a district attorney’s office is best measured by a review of specific case handling. Regrettably, this essential ingredient for preserving our high community standards is missing today. The problems we see in the current district attorney’s office result largely from poor management and poor decision making.

With 15 years’ experience in criminal law, I’m ready to implement the new vision we need. I ran a district attorney’s office as first assistant district attorney, mentored assistant district attorneys, supervised staff and handled the budget. I’ve made difficult decisions under pressure. I’ve successfully prosecuted all types of cases. I am the only candidate who has been both a prosecutor and a defense attorney. Experience working as a defense attorney is the essential training ground for a successful district attorney because it teaches you how your opponent thinks. When you know how they think, you can obtain solid convictions. Getting convictions is how a district attorney keeps us safe.

Michael Madeira

Safety. Four years ago, I made a solemn promise to lead our law enforcement team in keeping us safe. I have kept that promise. Not only is Centre County the same great place to live it was when I came here 17 years ago to prosecute criminals and uphold the law, but it is now the second safest community for two years running.

This is not based on a narrow reading of a single crime statistic in one community for partisan advantage. This is the result of Congressional Quarterly Press’ detailed evaluation of FBI crime statistics nationwide, using the White House Office of Management and Budget description of Centre County. This remarkable safety record reassures us that, partisan campaign rhetoric notwithstanding, we are safe — and getting safer.

Reported crime is lower than it was almost a decade ago in spite of population growth. According to the Uniform Crime Report, our clearance rate in our third year (a measure of the effectiveness of bringing cases to a conclusion) is equal to our predecessor’s in his 18th year. Because of effective management of about 3,000 cases per year, the use of cutting-edge prosecution strategies and our office’s statewide leadership in anti-crime initiatives and community involvement, we are literally “extraordinarily safe.”

This does not make headlines every day and is by no means solely my accomplishment. But my opponent has been saying for nine months that “the success of the District Attorney’s Office directly impacts your family’s safety. ...”

We are very safe, but all Centre County law enforcement, civic leaders, Penn State students and the greater community share in that honorable distinction.

Proven effectiveness in front of a jury. I have always protected Centre County’s residents from criminals, never defended them. I am the only candidate to try criminal cases before Centre County juries in almost five years, winning homicide, drug and assault cases; the only candidate to have run a prosecutorial office with 16 staff members; and the only candidate to have a victim approval rating of almost 95 percent over the past three years.

Nonpartisan support. The DA’s office is not a partisan position. I have not sought negative partisan political support from Harrisburg. Instead, my law enforcement peers from all across Pennsylvania have indicated their support for my long record of prosecutorial success. As a result, I am the only candidate to have the endorsement of DAs, prosecutors and law enforcement from across the state.

They have unequivocally stated I have the right experience, temperament and skills to continue to lead the team that keeps you safe. Our community outreaches are the model for others statewide and I’m honored to teach other prosecutors trial and investigative skills. My service to the families of Centre County and the commonwealth is a matter of public record, as is our success in making Centre County the second safest place to live, work and raise a family. That is why I am asking for your vote on Tuesday.

With your support, we can become No. 1.