The June 7 article about the candidates for Cumberland County district attorney in the June 12 Democratic primary did not accurately state my position and experience.

As a criminal defense lawyer for 14 years, I have focused on representing people who struggle with mental illness and substance use disorder. I am the defense counsel on the Co-Occurring Disorders and Veterans Court in Augusta (since 2011) and have been recognized for my work in this field. I present at both statewide and national conferences on these issues.

I also am a strong advocate for restorative justice for adults in nonviolent criminal cases and have done this work in multiple courts. Both treatment and restorative justice work: keeping people in their communities, with families, out of prison, making the public safer and saving significant tax dollars,

Children do not belong in jail. The juvenile justice system needs to replace Long Creek Youth Development Center with regional therapeutic settings for juvenile offenders, and recognize that the most serious offenders need facilities with a higher level of supervision.

I do not believe that any person should be held in jail just because they are poor. Cash bail needs to be reformed so this never happens. Individuals who are homeless and suffer from mental illness or substance use disorder who are arrested need to be triaged at the time of arrest in order to determine their needs and, if a low risk to public safety, they should be released immediately and matched with treatment, services and housing.

The system must do a much better job reaching out to victims of serious crimes, including sexual assault and domestic violence, because these crimes have gone underreported and underprosecuted. I will aggressively prosecute these cases.

Seth Levy Cumberland County district attorney candidate

Brunswick