Did you Know?

May 2020 – Arizona State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, The Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Prosecutors’ Center for Excellence. View the webinar

• Panelists: Allister Adel (Maricopa County Attorney), Darcel Clark (Bronx District Attorney), Jon Gould (ASU), Kristine Hamann (PCE), Jeff Reisig (Yolo County District Attorney).
• Additional Materials: May 2020 – Pandemic: A Natural Experiment for Reducing Incarceration Prosecutors Say – ASU Now. Click here

Prosecutors all over the country are finding ways to adapt to the “new normal.” Hear from them in PCE’s new series of video interviews. 

In PCE’s first interview of the series, Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven explains their unique approach to conducting Mental Health Court hearings via Zoom. Without a bailiff, court reporter or clerk, the Mental Health Court judge and other participants have conducted these virtual, informal hearings since April, 2020 despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.   

Human trafficking is the second most profitable criminal industry behind the drug trade, estimated by the International Labor Organization to be a $150 billion industry worldwide. To better equip prosecutors to address this devastating crime, the National District Attorneys Association’s Women Prosecutors Section developed a National Human Trafficking Prosecution Best Practices Guide. The guide provides an overview of sex trafficking and labor trafficking, various state and federal trafficking laws, working with victims, the investigative process, and more. Read

BJA has a wide variety of grants available in 2020 that can be of assistance to prosecutors.

The expected solicitation release dates for the grants are between December 2019 and March 2020. Application submission deadlines are typically within 45-60 days of the grant’s announcement.

Author: Antonia Merzon, Colorado Best Practices Committee for Prosecutors

The report discusses pros and cons, technological aspects and key questions related to the cameras, privacy concerns, and more.

On February 13, 2019, the Vera Institute of Justice hosted a webinar to provide an overview of the resources and objectives of the Serving Safely National Initiative to Enhance Policing for Persons with Mental Illnesses and Developmental Disabilities. PCE is a partner on the initiative and works alongside Vera to provide training and technical assistance to prosecutor’s offices on innovative programs addressing people with mental illness and intellectual disabilities. Recipients of the training and technical assistance include the Rockland County DA’s Office (NY), Los Angeles County DA’s Office, and the New York State Attorney General’s Office. 

The Problem:  According to a 2019 article from the Department of Education, over seven million (or one in six students) missed 15 or more days of school in the 2015-2016 school year. The highest rates of absenteeism occurred at the high school level, where chronically absent students also represent those most likely to drop out. Dropping out of high school has been linked to poor outcomes in adulthood, from poverty and diminished health to involvement in the criminal justice system.

The Pima County Attorney’s Office in Arizona has established a volunteer program for members of the community interested in assisting crime victims and people in crisis. The vetting and training process for victim advocate volunteers is very thorough to ensure high quality candidates are selected and are committed to long-term volunteer service.  The Victim Services Division currently has close to 100 volunteers, some of whom have served for decades.

According to the National Center on Aging, approximately one in ten Americans over age 60 has experienced some form of elder abuse. Furthermore, financial exploitation of seniors costs between $2.9 billion and $36.5 billion annually.