Dane County District Attorney announces reelection campaign, addresses reformative justice

Gabriella Bachara by Gabriella Bachara

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne announced plans for reelection campaign at a birthday celebration Thursday night. Ozanne was appointed as district attorney back in 2010.

Dane County District Attorney announced re-election campaign at his birthday party. Dane County Sheriff leads the party in singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Ozanne. #News3Now pic.twitter.com/rZYJ8QZqSz

— Gabriella Bachara (@GabbyBachara) October 18, 2019

Ozanne said one of his primary focuses is on advancing reformative justice.

“We really have to start thinking about how can we help people in crisis,” Ozanne said.

To do this, Ozanne said a community justice center could serve as a preventative measure.

“It would be incredible if we could get a community justice center because I believe that would put positive structure in and around our youth and help us get a better ability to address juvenile issues that we are seeing right now in our community,” Ozanne said.

Ozanne said the center could offer both public and private partnerships surrounding mental health and homelessness.

“We’ve been partners trying to find a smarter way of addressing our criminal justice system more so than just locking people up,” Mahoney said.

Mahoney said he supports Ozanne’s cutting edge approach to reformative justice.

“If we look at the crime spree that is taking over our community right now, with the stolen vehicles and home break-ins, we need to look at who these individuals are and what’s driving that behaviors and try to address it,” Mahoney said.

Ozanne said reformative justice begins by getting down to the root of what drives the behavior in the criminal justice system.

“If we could do something there to find a permanent place in the community for them and use that as sort as an emergency, you know taking someone out of crisis, we would get them to a better place and we would be better for it,” Ozanne said.

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