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Black Lives Matter activists criticize the District Attorney, while speaking near her home

Local leaders with the Black Lives Matter movement gathered near the Webster home of Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley Friday to call for major changes in how her office does business.

The activists accuse Doorley of overseeing an office that has been responsible for mass criminalization and mass incarceration, and they said it has disproportionately affected Black and brown people.

One of the activists, Stanley Martin, was critical of alternatives-to-incarceration programs that Doorley has endorsed.

“So she’s creating these programs that claim to help but she does not consult with community advocates. She does not listen to the voices of people in recovery or the people she claims she’s trying to help. So they’re creating these programs as deterrents to incarceration, but they don’t work, and no one really goes through them,” Martin said.

Martin said the activists want to see the mental health system run those types of programs without being directly connected to the legal system.

Doorley was not at the news conference near her house, but she did issue a statement later saying that she recognizes the call for change. She said she welcomes ideas and input from advocates, defense lawyers, prosecutors and police and legislators. Doorley said that she has made herself available to meet with individuals to talk about their priorities. And she said she will share more information about the efforts of the D-A’s office in the upcoming weeks.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.