1. 
Name - RJ Larizza
2. Age -50
3. Address: 1510 N Ponce De Leon Ste B
4. Ph. (904) 824-5711
5. E-mail: rlarizza@aug.com
7. State’s Attorney 7th Judicial Circuit
Biographical Data:
8.
Education Background
·
Graduated
Jacksonville Bishop Kenny High School 1976
·
BS
Degree in Criminal Justice at Troy State University 1980
·
Graduated
Mercer University’s Walter F. George
school of Law 1996
9.
Occupation, training & experience.
·
Department
of corrections, Probation Officer/Supervisor (13 years).
·
Assistant
State Attorney, 7th Judicial Circuit (6 years).
·
Private
Practice, RJ Larizza P.A. & Associates (6 ½ years).
10 (a). Name the two
most important issues that you believe are of concern to your district and how
would you address each.
The most important issue facing our district is to restore a
positive, productive and a trusting relationship between the State Attorney’s
Office and the various and numerous Law Enforcement Agencies throughout the
Seventh Circuit. I spent approximately
13 years as Law Enforcement 6.5 years as a prosecutor in this Circuit, and the
last 6 years operating my private law practice.
As a Law Enforcement Officer I made arrests, worked the streets
testified in depositions, trials and hearings.
I had the benefit of experiencing what it is like to actually
participate in the system as a Law Enforcement Officer, Prosecutor and Private
Attorney. When you combine all of my 25
years of professional experience it creates a comprehensive, balanced and one
of a kind unique perspective e in the criminal justice system. The comprehensive and diverse nature of my
experience makes me uniquely qualified for the job of State Attorney.
I will restore the
relationship of confidence, trust, and cooperation that has eroded between Law
Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office under the administration of John
Tanner.
The second most
important issue is Fiscal Responsibility.
The State Attorney’s Office is a business. While working for the Department of
corrections I became a supervisor and was responsible for managing an office
under strict budget constraints. As a
business owner I have continued to develop and refine my ability to create and
maintain a successful business that stays within budgetary constraints. Essentially if my business did not operate
under sound financial principals then it would not have survived much less
flourished and grown over the past 5 plus years. Managing the tax payers money that is
allocated for the State’s Attorney Office will involve conducting a thorough
review of all expenditures and make appropriate changes. I know that there are unnecessary
expenditures under the current administration.
More than $400,000.00 of tax payer money has been spent to keep a grand
jury investigative report sealed and secret.
Because of a lack of fiscal responsibility by the current
administration, our tax dollars are being spent – not on fighting and prosecuting
criminal activity and offenders – but on questionable activities that mirror
corruption and cover-up. These funds
should have been used to retain or hire additional prosecutors, expert
witnesses, depositions, trial presentation aides, additional investigators,
victim advocates, or other appropriate activities.
I personally would
not authorize, allow or otherwise approve any unrelated and questionable
expenditures as your next State Attorney.
I will revamp how salaries are determined by instituting a
merit/performance based salary process.
Staff will be designated as a liaison with the various Law Enforcement
Agencies throughout the Circuit, to address concerns and issues across the
board as well as implement up to date and cutting edge training programs. A liaison will be designated with the
business community to address the rising tide of white collar and retail crime
and to ensure that the State Attorney’s Office is doing everything possible to
assist our merchants and entrepreneurs in their business endeavors. I will bring back fiscal responsibility to
address the wasteful spending of approximately $400,000.00 of the taxpayer’s
dollars by the incumbent.
10(b). What
is your position on the State Legislature dictating local government taxation
and revenue policy? Defend your
position.
Finances and budgeting are some of the most
challenging aspects of local government. The complexities of the rules and laws
governing public finance, the ever-increasing demands for services, and the
limited revenue sources available to Florida local governments make knowledge
of the "tools" of government financial management essential for good
decision-making. It will be a
challenge coping with the Legislature’s decision to rollback taxes and
additional revenue cuts. Local officials could be faced with cutting police and
fire services. It will be necessary to be creative and find ways
to provide at least the same level of services with less money.
11. What factors are considered when
determining whether to take a case to court/trial or giving a defendant a plea
bargain?
Decisions on prosecutions can be
complex. Prosecutors know that deciding
whether to prosecute a particular case requires the exercise of judgment and
discretion. Crimes vary in their nature
and seriousness and it is therefore essential to consider each case on its own
facts. The subject’s history with respect to criminal activity will of course
be an extremely important fact. If the
case against the defendant is weak that is another consideration.
As criminal courts become more
crowded, prosecutors and judges feel compelled to move cases quickly through
the system. Trials can take weeks or
sometimes months while guilty pleas can often be arranged more quickly. Another factor to consider is that a trial is
unpredictable, but a plea bargain provides both prosecution and defense with
some control over the result. And
though some people view plea bargains with a suspicious eye, the federal
government and many states have written rules that explicitly set out how plea
bargains may be arranged and accepted by the court.
12. How best can law enforcement and the judicial system work to keep
criminals from being arrested and then getting back on the streets in the
“revolving door” that puts so many criminals back in the community?
Crime prevention will be a priority at the State Attorney’s
office under my direction. The State’s
Attorney’s Office has historically been a reactive agency. More specifically, the office reviews and
reacts to the various criminal allegations that flow from the many law
enforcement agencies in the 7th Judicial Circuit. There is no reason that the State attorney’s
Office cannot become involved in the goal of crime prevention. This goal is most effectively realized when
focused on kids and juvenile offenders.
While it is true that juvenile offenders should be punished for criminal
behavior, it is also true that if we can prevent children from committing
crimes, we have eliminated the need to prosecute in that particular
instance. It makes perfect sense to
allocate resources to prevention programs and taking a pro-active stand rather
than a reactive stand to help prevent crime.
Our communities continue to have the blight of criminal
conduct within their borders. Arresting
and prosecuting those who sell and traffic in drugs is an ongoing and never
ending process. It is troubling that
once a known drug area is swept and arrests are made, within weeks if not days,
the same drug activity resumes with new and old players alike. We can and will continue to arrest and
prosecute these offenses and offenders; however it is critical that we attempt
to find a way to eliminate or substantially reduce the disturbing reality of
recurring criminal activity. To be
effective, the effort must include a high level of community involvement. Under my leadership, the State attorney’s
Office will partner with other agencies, programs and community leaders to
address these recurring crime phenomena. With shrinking budgets and rising crime it is
essential to challenge and obtain involvement of community activists and
leaders to address and implement effective prevention strategies.
13. Name a specific issue that we have not addressed that you feel is
important to your constituents.
Staff supervision and retention – It is essential that all
staff be evaluated at least annually in an effort to determine how effectively
they are performing their duties. Annual
written performance evaluations provide for feedback between supervisors and
employees, and are a useful tool to improve efficiency and productivity. Based upon my experience and research the
current administration does not utilize any formal employee performance
evaluation process or procedure. The
process assists managers in making difficult decisions regarding termination
for sub-par performance or when budget cuts require staff reductions. This process allows managers to reward
exceptional career minded staff and will reduce the high turnover rate of the
current administration. Additionally,
once the relationship of respect, trust and cooperation is restored between Law
Enforcement and the Administration of the State Attorney’s Office, the staff
will enjoy a more pleasant, productive and efficient environment with which to
work. Finally genuine “hands on
leadership from the top” is essential to morale, productivity and staff
retention. I will lead by example. I will be accessible to all staff, and I will
make it a point to participate actively in the evaluation process. I intend to work with prosecutors to make their
environment more conducive to their primary task of prosecuting criminal
offenders.