Steven Grasso outlines his bid as Warwick town justice

I am running for Warwick town justice because I believe that after 25 years, it’s time for change. I am a Warwick resident, an attorney and a former prosecutor, but most importantly, I am a father and a husband.

Why is it time for change, you ask?

Because crime has changed dramatically over the last 25 years:

• The blood alcohol limit was lowered from 0.10 to 0.08 percent.

• The Rockefeller Drug Laws were dismantled, signaling a shift in the war on drugs from punishment to treatment.

• Crime has become significantly more complex, transitioning from traditional larcenies and robberies to fraud and identity theft, enabled by computers and technology.

• The increased use of social media has led to the advent of “cyber bullying.”

• Needless tragic crime plagues our society; in fact, just last year there was a shooting at the City of Middletown Court.

• Unfortunately, the Warwick Town Court has not evolved with the times. The court still does not have magnetrometers in the courtroom.

• Traffic court is still held on the same night as criminal court, forcing citizens to wait hours in the courtroom before their simple traffic ticket or small claims matter is called.

• And there is still no system in place to divert our youthful offenders.

Most troubling to me as a father is the drug problem at the Warwick High School. The Warwick Advertiser did a four-part series on this heart-breaking issue. As attorney coach of the high school Mock Trial Team, I have witnessed its effects first-hand. I believe it is time that the growing drug addiction is treated seriously in Warwick.

I have worked in the City of Newburgh and City of Middletown drug treatment courts. I understand that crimes fueled by drug addiction are unlike any other crimes, and I know what works and what doesn’t.

Criminal law experience is not something you get from the bench; it s something you bring to it.

As a prosecutor I handled thousands of cases in the justice courts, presented countless cases to the Grand Jury and conducted dozens of felony and misdemeanor trials.

Warwick needs a town justice who not only understands the ways in which crime has changed, but has the experience and knowledge to do something about it.

I am asking for your support in the upcoming primary election on Sept. 10 and the general election on Nov. 5.

Steven Grasso
Warwick