Rachael Rollins

During her campaign, Rollins pledged to decriminalize certain low-level offenses, such as shoplifting and drug possession.[5] She defeated four other candidates in the September 4, 2018 Democratic primary[6][7][8] and won the November 6, 2018 general election with 80% of the vote against independent challenger Michael P. Maloney.[9][10][11] She took office on January 2, 2019.[12]

Rollins succeeded John P. Pappas, who was appointed by Governor Charlie Baker to serve as Suffolk County district attorney from September 26, 2018, completing the final months of Daniel F. Conley's 16-year term.[13][14]

In March 2019, she laid out a memo on resolving petty crimes without jail time.[15]

In her capacity as district attorney, she is requiring prosecutors visit jails, and not only ones that are nearby.[5] Rollins endorsed Tiffany Cabán in the Democratic primary for Queens district attorney.[16]

After campaigning on a platform that included reducing the use of cash bail, Rollins has since critiqued the Massachusetts Bail Fund for securing the release of incarcerated people in pretrial detention.[17] Rollins' office argues the practice decreases incentive for defendants to return to court though the bail fund cites that 97% of defendants released through their efforts return to court.[18] After a person bailed out by the Masschsetts Bail Fund allegedly committed another sexual assault following their release, Rollins became embroiled in a debate over the nature of cash bail with critics arguing that bail should not be used to keep individuals incarcerated who cannot pay and community safety should be ensured through other methods.[19] Rollins faced further critique when her office increased the bail of a person experiencing homelessness when learning they would be bailed out by the fund.[18]