News / The Fair And Just Journal

By Jordan Stevenson

I have always had stage fright. Even as a high school debater, a middle school theater kid, and a grassroots community organizer leading rallies, I struggled with the heart-pounding anxiety that comes with stepping in front of a crowd. But the first time I practiced the law—standing in a courtroom, in front of a judge, representing the Commonwealth’s position on a bond motion for a serious domestic violence case—I had never felt calmer. I knew that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

This summer, I had the privilege of serving as a Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) Summer Fellow and Third-Year Practice intern with the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, where I worked at the intersection of prosecution, policy, and community engagement. This unparalleled opportunity allowed me to get hands-on courtroom experience while also promoting the progressive prosecution mission that brought me to law school in the first place. 

In fact, working at the Arlington County Commonwealth Attorney’s (CA) office was my goal before I ever attended law school. I met Commonwealth Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti in 2022 when I was a Commissioner for the Arlington County Commission on the Status of Women, liaising with the CA’s office on sexual assault prevention efforts. At that time, I learned about the reform prosecution movement and knew it was the right fit for me and my career goals. It was a real full-circle moment for me to work for CA Dehghani-Tafti as an intern and FJP Summer Fellow. 

As a Third-Year-Practice intern, I argued bond motions, conducted legal research, helped prepare for trials, and reviewed evidence. I was fortunate to be the first-ever intern assigned to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) team for the county because I have an interest in domestic violence and sexual assault crimes. I concluded the summer by participating in a mock trial, where I had the chance to apply everything I’d learned in a fast-paced trial advocacy setting.

However, I truly owe the Fair and Just Prosecution team for the incomparable opportunity to put my passion for justice-oriented prosecution to practice. In addition to my regular intern duties, I met with CA Dehghani-Taft regularly, conceptualized and designed three FJP policy projects, and did several smaller policy projects as well. Some of those ad hoc projects, such as a research memo on peremptory strikes or the review of the office’s new policy manual, gave me an inside look at what it means to be an elected prosecutor, beyond trying cases or running for office.

I am most proud of the 23-page report that I wrote analyzing Arlington County’s diversion programs, incorporating statistical testing of quantitative data, qualitative insights from interviews with peer recovery specialists, visualizations of data successes, and policy recommendations to strengthen these alternatives to incarceration. The county has phenomenal diversion programs that are extraordinarily successful, and it was a huge privilege to highlight these successes for the first time! I also designed and built a public-facing website that translates prosecution policies into clear, interactive, and attractive visuals. My goal was to make the office’s reforms understandable and engaging to the public—simple, but never simplistic. 

My academic background in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and love of maps inspired a third project idea: creating a GIS map of victim-centered and decarceration resources across the region, such as food banks, employment centers, and childcare providers. While I didn’t have time to complete the project myself, I had the opportunity to mentor a high school intern working with the diversion program. I taught her how to code the map, and she successfully brought it to life.

My time in Arlington reinforced my belief that prosecution can be a tool for justice, not just punishment. From arguing bonds in court to evaluating diversion program success, this experience showed me how local prosecutors’ offices can lead systemic change through creativity, transparency, and collaboration.

I am very grateful for the Fair and Just Prosecution team for designing and providing this innovative Summer Fellowship program, to Assistant Deputy CA Abhi Mehta for hiring me into the intern position, to Nassir Aboreden and the JDR team for supporting and mentoring me, and to CA Parisa Dehghani-Tafti for inspiring me to pursue criminal justice reform as a prosecutor. I could not have designed a more perfect fellowship for my career goals!