User talk:Deegan11

RE: Risa Ferman page

Hello Tim,

Happy to do so. Why don't you post the proposed text on my talk page, with references, and I can take a look.

EATC (talk) 16:49, 5 April 2011 (UTC)

Hey again Tim,

Thanks for your message. Below I have pasted the proposed text, with some relatively minor changes. I have tried to distill some the phrasing to make the entry more encyclopedic. To that end, I have removed some phrasing, such as "DA" in front of Ms. Ferman's name. The entry should be informative and up-to-date, so it's good to add this info. Can you add in some in-line citations in case someone every tries to challenge any of the info? Much of what was said should really be cited, especially if you can find third-party objective sources (i.e. Newspapers, etc.). It would really strengthen the text. Maybe some citations at the end of the paragraphs so it's clear exactly which source the information comes from. Often, we get campaigns trying to edit Wikipedia to make their candidates/bosses look good, so I appreciate that you are opening up this dailogue.

Talk again soon,

Mark Lerner EATC (talk) 20:30, 6 April 2011 (UTC)

Hey Tim,

I've updated the page, and fleshed it out a little to fit with what was already there. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to work on.

Best, Mark EATC (talk) 18:55, 10 April 2011 (UTC)

Early Career

Risa Vetri Ferman is the District Attorney of Montgomery County. She was elected to the position in November 2007, after working for 15 years as a courtroom prosecutor. Ferman is first female DA in Montgomery County history, and received the highest vote count of any candidate on the ballot in 2007.

Born in Philadelphia and raised in Abington Township, she is a lifelong resident of southeast Pennsylvania. After graduating from Abington High School, Ferman attended the University of Pennsylvania and later Widener University School of Law where she earned a law degree in less than three years.

Beginning in 1993, Ferman worked as a prosecutor. She quickly rose through the ranks to become Captain of the Sex Crimes Team. She has specialized in the prosecution of homicide, child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence cases.

Ferman served as a Deputy District Attorney where she managed the two major divisions of the DA’s Office responsible for the training of all new Assistant District Attorneys as well as the supervision of seven trial units including narcotics, major crimes, economic crimes, sex crimes/child abuse, domestic violence, grand jury and quality of life crimes. In 2002, Ferman was selected to serve as First Assistant District Attorney, the second in command to the entire District Attorney’s Office and County Detective Bureau. Ferman oversaw all homicide investigations while maintaining a personal caseload of serious crimes she would prosecute herself.

Record as District Attorney

Since her election as District Attorney in 2007, Ferman established the Elder Abuse Unit to target criminals who prey upon senior citizens. She founded Mission Kids, Montgomery County’s first child advocacy program aimed at easing the criminal justice process for victims of child abuse. She is also the co-founder of Montgomery County Child Advocacy Project which provides pro-bono legal services to abused children.

Ferman spearheaded numerous crime prevention and community education programs throughout Montgomery County. She created new initiatives targeting gangs, gun violence, and government corruption, and launched a partnership with local schools to focus on truancy abatement, violence prevention, teen driving safety and prescription drug awareness programs.

She has worked with the Courts and the Criminal Justice Advisory Board to develop diversionary programs for first-time, non-violent offenders. She supported Drug Court, Behavioral Health Court, and is currently working to create a Veterans’ Court.

Under her leadership, the District Attorney’s office has achieved a 98% conviction rate; one of the highest rates in Pennsylvania.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania selected her as Chair of the Criminal Procedural Rules Committee. She was selected by her peers to serve on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association and by legislative leaders to serve on the Joint State Government Commission on Wrongful Convictions. Ferman was also named by The Legal Intelligencer as a “Woman of Distinction 2010” and has been honored by the Citizen’s Crime Commission of the Delaware Valley , Victim’s Services Center of Montgomery County and the National Children’s Advocacy Center. Fraternal Order of Police Lodges and the Police Chiefs of Montgomery County have recognized Ferman as an honorary member of their associations.