RI PowerPlayer: Mary McElroy
GoLocalProv News Staff
RI PowerPlayer: Mary McElroy
Every week GoLocal shines the spotlight on one individual who is making a large impact on Rhode Island. This week we sit down with Rhode Island's Public Defender Mary McElroy.
1. Tell me about some of your background as a public defender.
I started as a public defender in August 1994. I was hired by then public defender Richard Casparian. I spent twelve years in the RIPD office all of those years in the trial division. In September 2006 I began working as an assistant federal defender in the RI Federal Defender’s Office. I was there until last summer when I was sworn in as the RI Public Defender.
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Proudest achievement of the last eleven months–as the public defender–I would have to say is finding ways to work with other agencies to help clients in all aspects of their life–not just in their individual criminal cases. This is what we mean when we refer to holistic defense and something that the RIPD has always done well. I hope to do even more of this type of representation in the future.
3. Take us through a day in the life of Mary McElroy.
I usually get up early and make lunches and breakfast for my kids. I take my daughter to school and then head to work. In the office my time is divided among many different tasks. They include administrative meetings, budget meetings, legislative initiatives, mentoring and supervising attorneys and staff and planning meetings.
Major things that need to be improved in our field. I would like to continue to make a strong push for sensible criminal justice reform. The US has less than 5% of the world’s population yet it has almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners. We have 2.3 million people behind bars; more than any other nation. China has 4 times the population as the US yet has only 1.6 million prisoners. As a nation this makes bad economic and social sense. Incarcerating people is expensive and does nothing to address the root problems that bring people into the criminal justice system.
5. What are your top three priorities for 2013 as an RI public defender?
Rhode Island consistently has one of the highest rates of probation supervision cases. We need to change the huge infrastructure that has been built around a culture of incarceration. What can be done? Decriminalization legislation, investment in rehabilitative services and deconstruction of the incarceration infrastructure. We need to invest in education and job training. In this way we can help kids become successful members of society and avoid the pitfalls of the criminal justice system. But all children do not come to school with the same “tools.” We need to help schools and educators by ensuring that there are sufficient supports for children who do not get them at home. We also need to invest money in drug treatment, housing and mental health treatment. All of these things reduce rates of recidivism and cost far less than incarceration. There always seems to be money for wars, prisons and police officers yet when money needs to be invested in education and rehabilitation we start to pinch pennies.
Top 3 Priorities:
1) Get State funding for two social worker positions that are currently funded by diminishing federal grant money. These social workers are crucial in decreasing incarceration in cases where the client is struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues.
2) Achieve caseload levels that are consistent with the ABA guidelines.
3) Get low level drug possession cases reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor in RI.
Favorite thing to do in Providence? WaterFire or see a show at PPAC.
What's the best book you've read this year? I re-read Gideon’s Trumpet–in honor of the 50th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright. This is the book that tells the story of Clarence Gideon’s fight to have an attorney appointed to him and the case that made public defender offices a reality.
What's your favorite local restaurant? I have two young children and don’t get out much unless the restaurant serves chicken nuggets and french fries! Other than that–there are so many amazing restaurants in RI, I could not chose one.
What's the best part about living in Rhode Island? The size of the state allows us to work in Providence and still spend evenings on the beach or somewhere else far from civilization. It is one of the best things about RI.