MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tuesday, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy was blunt on the challenges but also optimistic of his office's changes ahead in curbing crime and slowing the revolving door at 201 Poplar.
Mulroy shared his ideas to a smaller at the University of Memphis but one that was reflected in the broader community's concerns of how to stop violent criminals and cut down on violent reoffenders.
The DA - speaking to the civic non-profit 'Positively Memphis' - left little doubt about his passion for new reforms.
"The real revolving door that I'm concerned about is the revolving door of people who spend time in prison, get no rehabilitative services and then come right back out and re-offend," Mulroy said.
That's why he wants more money pumped into prisons, to invest in inmates in a different way.
"Even violent offenders can be rehabilitated if you give them realistic alternative to life on the street and that takes resources too," Mulroy added.
Since taking office in September, Mulroy said he's hired new prosecutors to make his office more diverse and established cold case and justice review units to tackle cases of wrongful convictions or sentencing.
Citizens can apply to take part in the justice review unit when the website launches in a few weeks.
"People who want to bring of alleged wrongful convictions or wrongful sentences can start submitting files there," Mulroy said.
The DA also outlined his goals for next year. Mulroy's office plans to overhaul the money bail system so people aren't held for weeks waiting for bond hearing because they can't afford a small bond up front.
Mulroy will also hire a grant coordinator to go after new crime fighting dollars, hire a data director and set up a data dashboard so the public can see progress on improving crime numbers and convictions.
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"I think transparency is absolutely key, because public confidence in the fairness of the system and the effectiveness of the system are key because without it you are not going to have community cooperation with the law enforcement and if the community isn't cooperating with law enforcement, we are not going to bend violent crime," Mulroy said.
The DA is also working with Memphis Police to track down and charge those involved in non-deadly shootings sooner, since those offenders are at higher risk of committing deadly shootings later.