The 2024 Black People’s Guide to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Race

DISCLAIMER: This series is not intended to sway votes or influence electoral judgment. It aims to present unbiased information about each candidate, their policies, and affiliations, and objectively analyze these in the context of their impact on Black communities. KANSAS CITY, MO – The Jackson County Prosecutor is one of the most powerful elected positions in the county. They wield immense power over the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, particularly Black folks in Kansas City.& Unlike most politicians, the prosecutor has direct control over decisions that can lead to life or death, freedom or incarceration. Their policies influence who gets charged with a crime, who is granted bail, who gets diverted into rehabilitation programs instead of prison, and whether police officers who lie, extort, and kill will be prosecuted.& These decisions have profound, immediate impacts on individuals and communities, especially those already oppressed by crushing poverty, state surveillance and violence.& The role is officially unaffiliated, presenting a facade of neutrality. However, the policies and practices of the prosecutor are anything but neutral. They are deeply intertwined with the broader criminal punishment system that disproportionately targets Black people (Black folks make up 61% of Jackson County jail population despite...