To the editor: In her four years as commonwealth’s attorney for Arlington and Falls Church, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti has faithfully fulfilled the promises of reform she made in her campaign.
As a nation, we funnel far too many defendants into the adult prison system, forgoing opportunities to rehabilitate defendants for whom rehabilitation is a realistic possibility. As a result, the nation becomes more dangerous, as defendants who might have reformed are not encouraged to do so.
At the same time, Dehghani-Tafti has pursued and obtained strong sentences against defendants who have committed violent crimes and are unlikely to reform.
Her opponent claims to be a reformer as well, but Dehghani-Tafti is the one with the track record to prove it.
Dehghani-Tafti’s opponent has made much of the fact that she does not try cases, leaving that work to the trial attorneys in the office. This is unremarkable; indeed, it is standard operating procedure in many government-enforcement offices. There is more than enough administrative, planning and supervisory work to be done by the head of such an office to occupy that person full-time. Indeed, were she also to try cases, some other critical work would likely be neglected.
Dehghani-Tafti has been endorsed for re-election by The Washington Post. She is running an ethical campaign, without false or misleading claims about her record or about her opponent. She has demonstrated the character and record of accomplishments that make her the better candidate for commonwealth’s attorney in Arlington and Falls Church.
Rebecca Dick, Arlington
