Campbell Announces Candidacy for State’s Attorney

Over the course of the last few months, I have been encouraged by members of our community, most notably local law enforcement, to run for re- election as DeKalb County State’s Attorney. After discussing the matter with family and friends, I have decided to seek the Republican Nomination for DeKalb County State’s Attorney in 2016.

These are challenging times for our criminal justice system. We are beginning to re-examine core issues relating to crime and punishment. We have largely concluded that our war on drugs has been a failure. We now generally agree that incarceration as a form of punishment is, in many cases, unnecessary, expensive, ineffective, and often unjust.

Racial and economic issues continue to divide us. Our criminal justice system rests at the heart of many of these problems. It is the lens through which many view our society. We must not allow our young people to lose faith in our justice system. It cannot be that one youthful mistake brands a kid a criminal for life. In an effort to instill fear, we have destroyed trust.

And yet while we focus on these deep pressing issues, our primary obligation is to protect our children. The seeming explosion of sexual abuse cases in this area is a grave cause for concern. It is the worst I have seen in 25 years. We must redouble efforts to protect our children from the insidious presence of sex offenders in our community. Our scarce resources must be directed at this threat.

I have spent my career in the criminal justice system of DeKalb County. I look forward to the challenges that will confront our next State’s Attorney. I look to presenting my ideas in my quest to be our next top prosecutor. I look forward to earning the public’s vote.

Clay Campbell

(815) 901-4909