U.S. Attorney Mark Totten of Western District of Michigan

11/20/2023

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten

c/o U.S. Attorney’s Office

PO Box 208

Grand Rapids, MI  49501

Dear U.S. Attorney Totten,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others.  U.S. Attorney Totten, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan to be very inspiring to me.

In your current role as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, I truly appreciate on how you are a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, prosecuting people who commit hate crimes on people who are different, and expanding on investigations into places that practice different forms of discrimination on disability, minorities, women, and people with different sexual orientation.  Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, expanding on resources to help victims of crime or victims of domestic violence get the help on dealing with their trauma,  and advocating with pushing for funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to help solve evidence including cases efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense for criminal justice reform.  Also on criminal justice reform, I like on how you work to implement wrongful conviction unit to investigate cases that had wrongfully convicted people of a crime that they didn’t commit, created an educational awareness to help educate people including the Office of the U.S. Attorney about mental health, advocated for community policing to help law enforcement engage with the community to improve relations,  and supported community service for non-violent offenders or non violent juveniles get rehabilitation to reduce re-offending. Another thing that I like about your work as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan is how you implement strategies to help provide people with mental health to get help instead of strict sentencing, prosecuted after public officials who are corrupt or accepted illegal bribes, went after industries that illegally polluted the environment or violated environmental protection laws, and launch investigations into law enforcement that do illegal police brutality or commit police misconduct. 

 U.S. Attorney Totten, I have autism with a learning disability.  Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased.  Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Your role as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York helps give me motivation to continue to learn history, criminal justice reform including social justice. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution,  push for criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. I have enjoyed visiting Grand Rapids, Michigan a few times where I got to explore Frederik Meijer Garden & Sculpture park to see different plants including art work, Gerald Ford Presidential Museum where I learn the history of Gerald Ford’s life including his presidency, and Grand Rapids Public Museum to learn the history of West Michigan. 

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference for society. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights, expand on criminal justice reform, and many others. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn about your work, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to make a great impact on society.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick