Chautauqua County District Attorney candidate Jason Schmidt has placed victims at the top of his priority list when outlining his focus for the office. His “victims first” agenda seeks to recognize the often-forgotten people who have been the targets of some of the most serious crimes by vowing to meet with each of them and their families personally and to prosecute those cases himself.

“The individual experiences of victims and survivors can sometimes be overlooked when we talk about crime and justice,” he said. “Victims and their families, especially those of violent crime, have already experienced trauma, but then we expect them to have the courage to re-live horrific events by telling and retelling their stories not only to police and prosecutors, but also to judges, juries and defense attorneys. They and each of us need to know that their hardships are recognized, that justice can and will be obtained, and that those responsible for harming us and threatening our safety will be held accountable for their crimes. That starts by requiring all prosecutors in the District Attorney’s Office to meet with victims at the beginning of each case and to maintain communications with them throughout the court proceedings which can go on for lengthy periods of time. This serves two purposes, of assuring victims that they have not been forgotten in the process, and contributing to the prosecutor’s preparation for trial.”

Schmidt, who began his professional career as a caseworker in Brooklyn for New York City’s Child Welfare Administration, saw countless cases of crimes against children, and he, himself, has been the victim of violent crime. These experiences led him to attend law school and eventually become a prosecutor in Chautauqua County where he secured convictions against violent criminals including child sex offenders. “My reason for becoming a lawyer was to help the most vulnerable, the victims who had nowhere to turn,” recalled Schmidt. “As a trial attorney with literally hundreds of trials under my belt working both sides of the justice system, I want to put my experience to work for those who need it most.”

“Victims shouldn’t be dragged through the process only to hear the words, ‘not guilty’ or ‘mistrial.’ My experience and training over the last 20 years have taught me how to put a case together and present it to the jury, so victims aren’t re-victimized in the courtroom and criminals are held accountable,” Schmidt said.