COMMON SENSE, COMPASSION, & CIVILITY
DISTRICT 7 CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
DEMOCRAT
Governor's Council approves or rejects potential state court judges.
As an attorney and a former special education teacher who's worked with children caught up in the courts, I know that judges matter.
COMMON SENSE
Public safety and crime prevention include addressing the mental health and addiction crises. Prioritizing harm reduction will save lives, improve public safety, and save taxpayer money (we spend almost $60k per year to incarcerate someone). When life- and money-saving diversion options are appropriate, use them. And bring more mental health experts into our justice system.
COMPASSION
Kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, who've bounced around our foster system, who’ve experienced significant childhood trauma, are most likely to be referred to the courts. Once there: consequences for typical teenage behavior become part of their record; their education is interrupted; they are more likely to land in cycles of incarceration as adults. We need mental health experts within the judiciary and parole board who will focus on positive outcomes, harm reduction, and crime prevention.
CIVILITY
Democracy is about working together to reach consensus: choosing judges with the right temperment, experience, and expertise is a non-partisan task. I promise to serve with the civility and professionalism that the office deserves.
Civility also means inclusivity and personal liberties:
Love is love, period.
Respect survivors.
Protect reproductive rights.
Protect the right to organize.
District 7 Central MA
About Governor's Council
Governor's Council consists of 8 Councilors and the Lieutenant Governor, who serves ex officio. The Council’s work includes approving or rejecting the Governor’s judicial, parole board, and industrial accident board nominees. Each Councilor is elected from a district comprised of 5 state senate districts. District 7 contains most of Central Massachusetts: the 65 communities within the 1st Worcester, 2nd Worcester, Worcester-Middlesex, Worcester-Hampden-Hampshire-Middlesex, and Worcester-Norfolk State Senate Districts.
Ashburnham
Ashby
Athol
Auburn
Barre
Bellingham
Berlin
Blackstone
Bolton
Boylston
Brimfield
Brookfield
Charlton
Clinton
Douglas
Dudley
East Brookfield
Fitchburg
Gardner
Grafton
Hardwick
Holden
Holland
Hopedale
Hubbardston
Lancaster
Leicester
Leominster
Lunenburg
Mendon
Milford
Millbury
Millville
Monson
New Braintree
North Brookfield
Northborough - Pcts. 1, 2, 4
Northbridge
Oakham
Oxford
Palmer
Paxton
Petersham
Phillipston
Princeton
Rutland
Shrewsbury
Southbridge
Spencer
Sterling
Sturbridge
Sutton
Templeton
Townsend
Upton
Uxbridge
Wales
Ware
Warren
Webster
West Boylston
West Brookfield
Westminster
Winchendon
Worcester
ABOUT PAUL
Paul’s an attorney, member of the Worcester Planning Board, father of two, and former special education teacher.
As an attorney, Paul was named to the Community Legal Aid 2017 Pro Bono Honor Roll.
As an educator, Paul developed and taught in alternative special education programming for high schoolers with social and emotional disabilities
B.A., Wesleyan University
J.D., Northeastern University
M.Ed., Fitchburg State University
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2019
WORCESTER - Attorney Paul DePalo has announced his candidacy to represent central Massachusetts on the Governor's Council, which approves or rejects potential judges. DePalo ran in 2018, earning 48% of the vote (146,000 votes) against a four term incumbent. The seat is now vacant. DePalo is a Worcester Planning Board member, father of two, and former public school special education teacher who developed and taught in programming for at-risk teens. A Democrat, DePalo stresses civility. “Choosing judges with the right experience and temperament is a non-partisan task.”
Attorney DePalo’s worked with children caught up in the courts, an important part of his platform. “We need to catch kids before they land in cycles of incarceration,” DePalo said. “It’s disproportionately kids who’ve experienced childhood trauma who are referred to the courts, and once in the system, typical teenage behavior faces ever-escalating consequences. Let’s divert kids into supportive settings and away from lives of crime.”
“On criminal justice, public safety must be our top priority, and that includes long-term crime prevention,” DePalo said. “We need judges and parole board members who understand mental health, including addiction and trauma. We should utilize cost-effective and proven diversion programs, which reduce crime, save lives, and save taxpayer dollars. We risk public safety when we release prisoners worse off than when they entered the system.”
Attorney DePalo holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University, a J.D. from Northeastern University, and an M.Ed. from Fitchburg State University. He is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts State and Federal Courts and is licensed as a Principal and Special Education teacher.
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CATCH KIDS BEFORE THEY LAND IN CYCLES OF INCARCERATION
I’ve seen children come out of the system worse off than when they entered. Judges should understand how trauma impacts school, behavior, and child development. Our kids should face lives of opportunity, not incarceration.
ADDRESSING OUR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Addiction is ravaging our communities. We need judges and parole board members who understand mental health, including addiction and trauma. We need to utilize treatment programs and stop releasing prisoners worse off than when they entered.
GETTING SMART ON CRIME
Let's end expensive and ineffective mass incarceration by utilizing proven diversion programs when appropriate. Reducing recidivism saves money, supports communities, and improves working conditions for our corrections officers.
GENDER EQUALITY
We need judges who will fight for women. All women. For their reproductive health. For equal opportunity and equal wages. And for the right to be respected and heard.
CIVIL RIGHTS FOR ALL
Our state and federal Constitutions are aspirational documents. We need judges sensitive to society’s ongoing march towards achieving our stated ideals of liberty and justice for all.
HONEST PAY FOR HONEST WORK
Justice requires that we are all on a level playing field. The rights for workers to organize and collectively bargain must always be protected.