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September 2, 2004

Vote, Tues. Sept. 14

Announcements about the election on Tuesday, September 14, refer to it as "preliminary" or "primary". However, in the race for Suffolk County Sheriff it is the final election. Whoever wins the primary will face no significant opposition in November.

Sheriff Andrea Cabral was appointed on November 29, 2002 by Governor Jane Swift to fill the unexpired term of Richard Rouse who had resigned from office after a number of scandals were uncovered. On her first day in office Cabral was confronted with an outstanding judgment of $5 million against the sheriff’s office.

With this first crisis, Cabral demonstrated her administrative acumen. Rather than allow non-payment penalties to accumulate, she made adjustments in the $90 million budget to pay the judgment. She then worked with the state Legislature to acquire funds for other projects to enable her to bring her budget in balance.

A graduate of Boston College, Cabral earned her J.D. degree at Suffolk Law School. As a former Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney, Cabral understands the criminal justice system in Suffolk County, and the process that lands defendants in jail. Her work as Assistant DA led to an interest in the rehabilitation of those who find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

The sole function of the Suffolk County Sheriff is to administer the Nashua Street Jail and the South Bay House of Correction. The jail holds only those unable to make bail until the disposition of their cases. The House of Correction confines those serving a sentence of up to 30 months. As the name implies, there is a great opportunity at South Bay to rehabilitate the inmates to reduce the rate of recidivism. Sheriff Cabral is committed to that effort.

Her opponent in the election on September 14 is Stephen Murphy who has served as a member of the Boston City Council since January 1997. He insists that he is more qualified than Cabral to serve as Suffolk County Sheriff but the facts do not support that contention.

Under the law, members of the Boston City Council are also County Commissioners with general oversight of the office of the sheriff. Guards at South Bay were charged with the rape of female prisoners and the sale of drugs and other contraband to the inmates over a period of time. Yet there was no comment from the City Council. As chairman of the Public Safety Committee Murphy should have been outraged. His silence indicates his lack of concern.

Sheriff Cabral has been breaking up the sex rings and the drug rings among the guards at South Bay. It is no wonder, then, that some of the union leadership has endorsed Murphy. They see in him an opportunity to return to the "good old days."

Despite an enormous difference in talent, this will not be an easy victory for Cabral. In the recent City Council election 30,510 votes were cast for Murphy. Cabral is as yet untested at the polls. While the black and Latino turnout was greater than usual last time, minorities still have a tendency to consider preliminary elections as less important. That point of view would be disastrous this time.

All Bostonians, regardless of ethnicity, must be aware that a serious public safety issue is involved in this election. Boston, Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop need a sheriff who is keenly intelligent and committed to the reduction of recidivism. Only Andrea Cabral has the qualifications to meet that test.

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