On July 21, 1938, Janet Reno was born in Miami, Florida. Janet Reno graduated from Cornell University where she majored in chemistry and was president of the Women's Self Government Association. She then attended grad school at Harvard University where she received her LL.B. She had a very difficult time finding a position as a lawyer and was refused a position at Miami's largest law firm for being a woman. From 1963- 1967 she was an associate for the law firm of Brigham & Brigham. From 1967- 1971, she was a partner in the law firm of Lewis and Reno. In 1971 she was named Staff Director of the Judiciary Committee for Florida's House of Representatives. She was defeated in the election to win a seat on the state legislature in 1972. As council for the state senate's committee in 1973, she was responsible for revising the state's Criminal Code. Later that same year, she accepted a position with Dade County State Attorney's Office, withholding jurisdiction over the greater Miami area. In 1976, Janet Reno left the state attorney's of ffice to become a partner with the same law firm, Law firm of Steel, Hector and Davis, that refused her a position fourteen years prior. In 1978, when Dade county's Florida State Attorney resigned, Reno was appointed by Florida Governor Reubin Askew as State Attorney and was reelected four times. As State Attorney, Reno held an office that employed 940 employees. She had a yearly budget of 30 million, and a yearly docket of 120,000 cases. Her office usually dealt with cases involving rape, child abuse, homicide, drug traff'cking crimes, and white collar crimes. Janet Reno also emphasized on prevention programs for young children, helped reform the juvenile justice system, and helped families where delinquent fathers did not pay child support. She helped establish a Drug Court that provides an alternative punishment for drug offenders who have a substance abuse problem. Many of those who have gone through this program have recovered and have been free of drugs.
On February 1 1, 1993, Janet Reno was nominated as Attorney General of the United States. On March 12, 1993, she was sworn in as the first woman to hold the position as [the] 78th attorney general. Some of Reno's key priorities include: To incarcerate repeat offenders, and find alternative forms of punishment for first time offenders as a way of reducing crime. Emphasize on intervention and prevention for youth in order to steer away from drugs, gangs, and street violence. To focus on strong and productive lives for children.
To ensure the civil rights act is being enforced to provide equal opportunities for all Americans. To protect America's environment from Pollution. To build an agency that reflects the diverse government of the people it represents, by and for the people. To make sure that integrity, excellence and professionalism are key components of the Department of Justice.
"She's demonstrated throughout her career a commitment to principles that I want to see enshrined in the Justice Department: no one is above the law." -
Bill Clinton