WASHINGTON, DC — Clark Ray, candidate for DC City Council, At-Large, made the following statement regarding the resignation of Dr. Shannon Hader as Director of DC’s Office of HIV/AIDS Administration:

“Filling this vacancy is a nomination emergency, because the HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a crisis in the District of Columbia.

“Dr. Hader was a stabilizing force, and brought her office further along in its struggle to reform and improve operations, but that job is by no means finished.

“In the neighborhoods where I have spent a majority of my time, HIV/AIDS continues to shatter lives and families with a pace usually seen in far less prosperous nations.

“The issues here are complex–everything from housing to mental health services and much more, they’re all integral to people knowing their HIV status, getting access to treatment, and staying on their treatment regimens.

“This is a nomination emergency. The Mayor will have to apply the most rigorous search and nomination discipline possible. This position, above all, mandates collaboration with City Council and impacted communities. There’s been a lot of tension and distrust in our city government, especially in this election year: now’s the time for everyone to put all of that aside.”

Tags: Clark Ray, DC Council, DC Council At-Large, DC Council At-Large Candidate, Dr. Hader, HIV/AIDS, Mayor Fenty

Dear Mr. Mayor and Members of the D.C. Council:

In light of the continuing reports that the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) has been unable to maintain custody of dangerous teens remanded to its care, I respectfully request that the Office of the Mayor, and the appropriate D.C. Council Committees, including the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, disclose to the public the following:

* the number of juvenile offenders currently remanded to the custody of DYRS for violent crime;

* the number of those violent offenders who have escaped DYRS custody over the past three years;

* the number of those violent escapees who are still at-large; and,

* the number of those escapees who were involved in nationally-recognized, outcome-based community mentoring programs.

I believe that the public is entitled to this information so we can know the scope of the danger posed by these at-large violent offenders.

I also believe the public has a right to know whether DYRS is using outcome-based community mentoring programs to reduce recidivism. It would be irresponsible for the Mayor’s office and the Council, which has oversight responsibility on programs involving criminal justice, to keep this information hidden from the community.

Sincerely,

Clark Ray
Candidate for D.C. Council, At-Large

Tags: Clark Ray, Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary, DC Council, DC Council At-Large, DC Council At-Large Candidate, DYRS, Mayor