Iryna Zarutska’s murder shows what happens under soft-on-crime policies like Aaron Ford’s

By Annie Black  

Nevada News and Views

When Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford wrote in 2019 that “simply incarcerating people will not keep Nevada safer,” many brushed it off as just another progressive talking point.

But the tragic murder of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska is forcing Nevadans to ask: How many more victims will pay the price for soft-on-crime policies?

Zarutska fled the horrors of war in Ukraine, hoping to find safety and a better life in America.

On August 22, she was brutally murdered in a crime caught on video.

Police say the suspect, 38-year-old Decarlos Brown, is no stranger to law enforcement. He has at least 14 prior arrests on his record.

Yet he was walking free.

This is the heart of the problem. Repeat offenders like Brown are not being held accountable.

Instead, they are cycled in and out of the system until, too often, an innocent person pays with their life.

Ford’s critics point out that this tragedy is not a random case. They say it’s the predictable result of his political agenda.

As attorney general and state senator before that, Ford supported measures to reduce penalties for serious crimes.

He pushed for restoring voting rights to felons and backed legislation that critics argue would have effectively turned Nevada into a sanctuary state, making it harder for law enforcement to work with federal authorities.

In short, Ford has a long record of putting the rights of criminals ahead of the safety of communities.

And this isn’t just talk — it’s the kind of policymaking that keeps violent offenders like Brown on the streets.

The tragedy of Zarutska’s murder has shaken Nevadans because it shows the real-life consequences of these policies.

When elected leaders prioritize being “compassionate” to criminals over protecting citizens, it’s everyday families who suffer.

John Burke of Better Nevada PAC, which is calling out Ford’s record, said it bluntly: “By entertaining the notion that incarcerating people will not keep Nevada safer, Ford puts innocent individuals like Iryna Zarutska in danger from violent criminals who should be behind bars.”

It’s hard to argue with that when you look at the facts. Ford’s theory failed the ultimate test: keeping people safe.

This debate isn’t limited to Nevada.

Across the country, progressive prosecutors and politicians have pushed for reduced sentences, cash bail reform, and early releases.

The results have been predictable — rising crime, repeat offenders back on the streets, and communities left feeling unsafe.

For example, the FBI’s most recent data show that violent crime remains well above pre-pandemic levels in many cities.

According to a 2023 Gallup poll, 63 percent of Americans say crime is a serious problem where they live — the highest level in decades.

When people see criminals get chance after chance while victims are left behind, trust in the justice system crumbles.

Ford and his allies argue that Nevada’s justice system is too focused on incarceration and not enough on rehabilitation.

They claim locking people up doesn’t address the root causes of crime and that reforms are needed to create “fairness.”

But as Zarutska’s murder reminds us, fairness for criminals can mean deadly unfairness for victims.

Conservatives argue that justice starts with protecting law-abiding people first.

Rehabilitation has its place, but not at the expense of safety.

At the end of the day, this issue comes down to priorities. Do we want a system that bends over backwards for repeat offenders, or one that puts victims and families first?

The brutal death of Iryna Zarutska makes the answer painfully clear.

Nevadans deserve leaders who take crime seriously and who understand that protecting innocent people is the first job of government.

If Ford still believes that incarceration doesn’t keep us safe, then the people of Nevada may decide they can’t afford to put him in the governor’s office.

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Annie Black is a former Mesquite City Councilwoman and former Nevada State Assemblywoman