Eight Years Later: What a Difference a DA Makes

James “Jimmy” Hills

In 2018, we helped bring together community leaders and legal advocates for one important conversation: What difference does a District Attorney (DA) make?

Eight years later, going into Election Day on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, that conversation is just as relevant, especially given the climate of racism in this country.

As Attorney Rahsaan Hall said in that conversation, “The district attorney is one of the most powerful individuals in the system that nobody knows about or is really talking about.”

That power shows up in decisions about charges, bail, diversion, sentencing, victims, police accountability, and who gets another chance instead of another case.

Hall put it plainly: “They decide what charges go forward.” He also reminded us that “there are some cases that don’t need to be in court.”

That matters because public safety and justice are not opposites.

Black and brown communities want to be safe. That includes being safe from an inequitable legal system. We want a fair system that recognizes inequity and understands that incarceration cannot be the answer to everything.

Attorney Sheriece Perry spoke directly to the leadership required of a District Attorney,  including the responsibility to hold police accountable, build community trust, and understand how policies impact the people the office serves. As she said, the office has to be “looking at restorative justice” and “progressive policies” while asking how we make changes that are truly benefit our community(ies).

And Curtis Rollins reminded us that it’s about the voters. “As long as you’re engaged, these politicians recognize that.”

That may be one of the most important takeaways from this entire conversation.

There will always be campaign noise, personalities, endorsements, and headlines. But we need to know what the person sitting in that DA’s seat can actually do.

Who gets prosecuted? Who gets diverted? How are victims supported? How are racial disparities addressed? What does police accountability look like? And what does justice look like under their leadership?

Those were important questions then.

They are important questions now.

The dates referenced in the original 2018 conversation belong to that election cycle. Our Election Day is Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

So listen. Learn. Ask questions. And vote.

Because the District Attorney can make a difference in your life and your community without you ever stepping foot inside a courtroom.

And with all the noise surrounding an election, the most important noise we can make is with our vote.