Will Jones
Candidate for Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney
Education: J.D., University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville; Bachelor’s, Henderson State University
Prior Elected Office or Public Service: Current Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney; former Deputy Attorney General; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District
Community Service: Pulaski County CASA Board of Directors; Rock Region Metro Board of Directors; Child Advocacy Centers of Arkansas Advisory Board; North Little Rock Teen Court - Volunteer; Ace for the Cure - Volunteer; Strength Ribbons and Sculptures; NLR Wildcat Foundation - Volunteer; North Little Rock Police Athletic League - provided athletic opportunities for children at no cost; Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault - Continuing Education Presenter; Arkansas Bar Association - Continuing Legal Education Presenter; Pulaski County Arkansas Victim Assistance Academy - Trainer; Certified Law Enforcement Instructor - Trained Law Enforcement to recognize and investigate human trafficking and child exploitation cases, best practices for police interviews, and preparing for trial; Arkansas Prosecuting Attorneys Association - Continuing Legal Education Presenter.
In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge facing the prosecutor’s office and how do you plan to address it? The COVID 19 Pandemic has impacted the criminal justice system immensely. The backlog of cases coupled with the rise in violent crimes, particularly homicides in Central Arkansas, has created a nightmare scenario for the prosecutor's office. My plan to address this challenge will start with an all-hands-on deck approach. Everyone in the office will have to carry a substantial caseload including the elected prosecutor. Unfortunately, it will likely require long hours and weekend work to get trials ready. I envision a division that handles bench trials once they have waived a jury trial. I'm hoping maybe we can get some help from the courts to have additional venues to work through these cases. We can't let the tremendous backlog let us forget the victims of these crimes. We must remember why we are working so hard.
A 2018 study from the University of Georgia showed that incarceration can make existing mental health conditions worse and incarceration itself increases the chance of developing a serious mental health disorder. What steps will you take as Prosecuting Attorney to divert people with mental health conditions from the criminal justice system? Pulaski County has a great mental health court in place, we are fortunate to have judges who created this program and worked tirelessly for months to bring it about. They are doing outstanding work to address individuals who need mental health treatment instead of incarceration. I have a great relationship with the Judge Melanie Martin and will support that court in every way that I can.
As Prosecuting Attorney, how would you handle a fatal use of force incident involving local police? While investigating use of force incidents, I will utilize all of the experience I have gained from over 20 years as a prosecutor including training from The National Attorneys General Training & Research Institute on use of force incidents. If there is video of the incident I will review as soon as possible. Once an investigation is complete, the most senior attorneys in our office would prioritize the review considering the high tension that comes with these cases. We would keep the family informed of our progress and answer any questions they have. If the decision is made that the officer was justified and no charges are warranted, then I would release the file for a period of time on the office website to show complete transparency. If the officer is charged, it then becomes an active case, therefore we would not release the file in order to protect the integrity of the prosecution of the case and the rights of the defendant.
A study by VERA Institute of Justice found that 63% of people in Arkansas’s jails are being held in pretrial detention. What are the factors contributing to this rate? What is your position on current pretrial incarceration rates? Our office will utilize the criteria outlined in the Arkansas Rules of Criminal Procedure for pretrial release. Post-conviction misdemeanor sentences only carry a maximum of one year and are typically much less than that. Other post-conviction detainees in the jail are awaiting transfer to the Arkansas Department of Correction.
A study published in the Stanford Law and Policy Review showed that while white people and people of color use and sell drugs at the same rate, people of color are arrested for drug offenses at disproportionate rates. What would you do to minimize these disparities? I will make sure that all people that come in contact with the prosecutor's office, whether victim or defendant, are treated fairly with the same dignity and respect regardless of race.