Melesa Johnson Jackson County, Missouri Prosecutor

Melesa Johnson Jackson County, Missouri Prosecutor spoke wife Morgyn Wood about the criminal justice system and public safety. She is the first Black female prosecutor in Missouri.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
When you think about the work of criminal justice and
who is disproportionately affected, whether they're being victimized or offending,
it is people of color. So it's about time, respectfully,
that we have somebody representative of the demographic most impacted.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Why are you here at the legislative conference? Why did
you think it important to be here?

Speaker 1 (00:19):
If there was ever a time to be in the
midst of black excellence and empowerment and conversations about, you know,
fighting against this tough on crime rhetoric that the Trump
administration is viewing, knowing that that does not make our
communities more safe. Investing in people, expanding diversion programs, and
investing in reentry, reducing recidivism, that's what makes our community

(00:42):
more safe. And so I've been so encouraged by all
of the conversations that I've been privy to since I've
been here.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
What have you taken away from some of the conversations,
the panels and the sessions.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
You know, I went to one earlier about the militarization
of cities, American cities, especially those led by black mayors
and black leadership, making sure that we continue to tell
the line. Listen, I don't care if they bring the
National Guard in, right, we need to make sure we
continue to lean into focus, to turns lean into fort
lean into our treatment courts, because in the long term,
that's really what's going to get the job done. And

(01:13):
I'm not interested in politics. I'm interested in safety, and
we have to do what is data informed and what
actually works.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Talk to me more about that safety aspect, and with
you being a prosecutor, what do you make of the
current political climate and how it's seemingly making things actually
not safe.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Absolutely, listen, immigration is not our biggest public safety concern
and that has been so frustrating since I took office
in January. When you look at our urban communities that
are heavily populated with crime, immigration is not the biggest issue,
and infiltrating these communities with more law enforcement does not
make people feel more safe, especially people of color. What

(01:54):
does make people feel more safe. Adequate jobs, connection to
mental health resources, adequate sub since misuse treatment, the things
that really build healthy humans, build healthy communities, and we
need to continue to lean into that.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
How can we continue to follow your work?

Speaker 1 (02:09):
Absolutely, you can follow me on all social media platforms.
Jackson County Prosecutor on Facebook. J Coo Jaco Prosecutor on Instagram.
Stay up to date with our work. We are absolutely
leaning into accountability, but we also understand we have to
help a lot of people in order to truly deliver
on the promise of public safety.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
And before I let you go, is there anything that
I didn't touch on that you would like to share?

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Nope, I think you covered it all all right.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
I love that for us. Congratulations again, Thank you very
appreciate the work that you're doing.