In a momentous decision, President Biden has nominated Massachusetts’ own Suffolk County DA Rachael Rollins for US Attorney. If confirmed, Rachael Rollins will be the first black woman US Attorney to serve in history. Rollins was also the first woman of color to serve as a district attorney in Massachusetts. 

As Suffolk County DA, Rollins worked hard to push progressive criminal justice reforms. Rollins defeated an opponent in the DA race who was supported by the incumbent and police groups in the 2018 Democratic primary.

Massachusetts saw the benefits of Rachael Rollins’ leadership on criminal justice. Her decision not to prosecute low level crimes was criticized by law enforcement, but it has been a success. A recent study by the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that people whose misdemeanor charges were dropped were far less likely to reoffend. 

Rachael Rollins was one of the leading advocates responsible for Massachusetts’ recent high profile as a leader in criminal justice reform and drug crime reform. Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, who nominated her for the job, called her “a national leader on transforming the criminal justice system and shifting away from an approach based on punishment and penalization to one that combats the root causes of injustice. They said they are “certain that she will be a tremendous US Attorney,” and pledged to work to ensure that she is confirmed as soon as possible.