Smith: Billboards and Firing Squads Are Not Public Safety Policy

Note: The following item was submitted as an opinion-editorial piece in response to recent items regarding legislative agenda proposals and a billboard placed on the interstate by District Attorney Matthew Barton regarding criminals coming from Memphis. The material and opinions are that of the writer solely and do not reflect that of this publication.

By Justin Smith

District Attorney Matthew Barton’s decision to place billboards at the Tennessee Mississippi state line telling criminals to “turn around” is not crime prevention. It is political theater. And when viewed alongside his recently released legislative agenda, it becomes clear this is less about public safety and more about chasing headlines.

Let’s start with the facts. The data does not support the narrative being pushed. The majority of inmates housed in the DeSoto County Jail are not from Memphis. They are from DeSoto County. Local residents committing local crimes are filling local jail beds. Suggesting otherwise is either a fundamental misunderstanding of the data or an intentional attempt to mislead the public. Neither should be acceptable from the county’s chief prosecutor.

Billboards do not stop crime. Criminal behavior is not deterred by roadside slogans. This campaign is not aimed at offenders. It is aimed at cameras.

That same pattern is evident in District Attorney Barton’s newly announced Mississippi legislative agenda, which includes a proposal to make firing squad the mandatory method of execution for death penalty cases. This proposal borders on absurd when examined against reality.

District Attorney Barton has never tried a death penalty case. There are no death penalty cases pending in DeSoto County. Statewide, Mississippi has carried out only three executions since 2012. This is not a pressing public safety issue. It is not a problem crying out for legislative attention. It is a made for television soundbite.

In practical terms, this proposal has about the same chance of passing as renaming the State of Mississippi to Spain.

What it does demonstrate, however, is a continued fixation on sensationalism over substance. While serious prosecutors are focused on improving conviction integrity, supporting victims, managing caseloads, and strengthening their offices, DeSoto County is being served press releases and extreme proposals that solve nothing.

This is especially troubling given the recent history of the District Attorney’s office. The last major indictment fell apart. Two assistant district attorneys have been arrested for unrelated but serious issues. These are not minor embarrassments. They are indicators of an office struggling with leadership, oversight, and internal discipline.

When leadership falters, distractions often follow. Billboards. Radical legislative proposals. Cable news interviews.

If the District Attorney is serious about reducing crime in DeSoto County, there are proven strategies available.

First, build genuine relationships with the community. Trust between citizens and the justice system reduces crime more effectively than fear based messaging ever will.

Second, strengthen partnerships with law enforcement, schools, mental health providers, and social services. Crime prevention starts long before an arrest is made.

Third, focus inward. A well run prosecutor’s office with experienced attorneys, ethical leadership, and consistent case preparation is the most effective public safety tool a district attorney possesses.

Finally, tell the truth. Crime in DeSoto County is largely homegrown. Addressing it requires honesty, competence, and sustained leadership, not scapegoats and spectacle.

DeSoto County deserves results, not rhetoric. It deserves leadership focused on the hard, unglamorous work of justice. Billboards and firing squad press releases may generate attention, but they will not make our communities safer.

Thanks.

Justin Smith
Concerned Citizen