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Attorney general candidates debate youth violence, meth and prison capacity
Summary
Incumbent Attorney General Joe Mazurek and challenger State Sen. Larry Baer discussed juvenile violence, methamphetamine use, sentencing policy and prison capacity in a Missoula radio interview, with both calling for changes but differing on emphasis and solutions.
Incumbent Attorney General Joe Mazurek said he is prioritizing a statewide response to rising youth violence and methamphetamine use and described a task force that will recommend actions for communities.
“we are in the process of completing a work of a task force … the Attorney General's Youth Violence Task Force,” Mazurek said, describing plans to “recommend a plan of action to communities to attack the increasing, incidents of violent crime committed by juveniles.”
Why it matters: Both candidates framed criminal-justice issues as immediate concerns for Montana law enforcement and taxpayers. Mazurek emphasized state support for local agencies and research-driven sentencing reviews, while Baer focused on the practical need for more prison space and stricter enforcement.
Mazurek, who described the Department of Justice’s role as “primarily in the law enforcement area,” outlined work with the state Sentencing Commission to examine sentencing practices and the costs of building prison capacity. “Before we spend lots and lots of money building new prisons, we need to make sure that the sentencing practices we use are what we really need,” he said, noting that many inmates sentenced to the state prison are instead being held in county jails.
Mazurek told the host the department has seen a rapid escalation in methamphetamine use across Montana, naming Billings, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls and Butte as places where the drug has appeared. He said methamphetamine “makes its users much more violent,” and described plans to train and support local law enforcement to respond.
State Sen. Larry Baer said the state must increase capacity and programming as sentences and commitments rise. “We can't just turn them loose on parole because we don't have the room for them,” Baer said, describing the practical pressures of housing an increased prison population. Baer also said he supports productive prison labor where constitutional rights are protected and favors building more facilities to hold inmates.
Both men addressed mandatory minimum sentences. Mazurek said, “depending on the offense… there are appropriate cases for mandatory minimum sentences,” and argued for a measured policy approach informed by sentencing data. Baer said he supported the "three strikes" approach passed in the Legislature while acknowledging it creates housing pressures.
Discussion vs. decision: The interview recorded policy positions and planned initiatives; no formal state actions, votes or executive directions resulted from the broadcast.
Context and budgetary notes: Mazurek described the Department of Justice budget and staffing while discussing these issues, saying the department’s appropriation was roughly $65 million and that his office directly employs a bit more than 30 attorneys, while the department overall counts roughly 650 employees. Baer emphasised administrative fixes and facility expansion as near-term priorities.
What’s next: Both candidates said they would press the Legislature and local officials for changes: Mazurek through task-force recommendations and sentencing-review data; Baer by prioritizing facility capacity and enforcement.
