SAO Uses Statewide Sentence Data to Make Plea Offers More Equitable (2022)

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Office of the Florida State Attorney, 8th Judicial District (Gainesville, FL)

Population: 415,000 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 45 | Contact Information

The Office of the Florida State’s Attorney for the 8th Judicial Circuit (SAO8th)  has partnered with Technologies for Justice to harness sentencing data from the Florida Department of Corrections in order to provide prosecutors with information about average sentences imposed for similarly situated offenders.  Access to this data is given to prosecutors prior to making a plea offer, reducing unsubstantiated deviations.  By using a neutral starting point and sharing it with defense counsel, it is hoped that disparities based on unexamined or intentional bias will be reduced in favor of more equitable plea bargains.        

Enhancing Prosecution Office Culture through Surveys (2022)

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Summit County Prosecutor’s Office (Akron, OH)

Population: 537,600 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 60 | Contact Information

The Summit County Prosecutor’s Office (SCPO) has improved office culture using a variety of anonymous and attributed surveys that contribute to better interpersonal relationships, morale, and productivity.  Through anonymous and attributed surveys, recognition programs, and meaningful team building activities, the office culture at SCPO promotes wellness, recruitment, and retention.

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Effective Remote Work Strategies (2023)

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Yavapai County Attorney’s Office (Prescott, AZ)

Population: 242,253 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 41 | Contact Information

The Yavapai County Attorney’s Office (YCAO) has developed robust work from home policies for all of their attorneys and staff. This has enabled them to supervise remote work and maintain accountability, while affording employees more flexible work environment options. The program was devised in response to the Covid -19 pandemic but has become a popular benefit and effective recruitment tool. 

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Automated Expungements (2022)

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Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office (San Jose, CA)

Population: 1,924,000 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 190 | Contact Information

The Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office (SCDA) has developed a way to automate the expungement of criminal records by partnering with the Court and Public Defender to streamline the process and leverage data contained in their case management system to identify those eligible for relief.  The program was devised after Santa Clara used a similar method to expunge records for those convicted of Marijuana offenses after California passed legislation decriminalizing its possession.

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Public Police Conduct Disclosure Website (2022)

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Arizona Prosecuting Attorney’s Advisory Council (Phoenix, AZ)

Population: 7,174,000 | Number of Members: 858 | Contact Information

The Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council (APAAC) has developed a public, internet accessible database (often referred to as a Brady list) that contains names of law enforcement officers for whom there are materials which must be provided in discovery in order to comply with Brady v. Maryland and its progeny. 

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Florida State Attorney’s Office, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Data Dashboard (2020)

Video Edition Updated

Office of the State Attorney of the Fourth Judicial Circuit (Jacksonville, FL)

Population: 1,265,632 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 110 | Contact Information

Created with Florida International University and Loyola University of Chicago, the Office of the State Attorney of the Fourth Judicial Circuit‘s data dashboard was published in December of 2020 and focuses on prosecutorial performance indicators (PPIs).

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Software Notifies Victims and Offenders of Critical Safety Information After a Domestic Violence Arrest (2021)

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San Diego County District Attorney’s Office (San Diego, CA)

Population: 3,343,360 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 324 | Contact Information

The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office (SDCDA) is using specialized software to notify domestic violence victims of case updates through a series of texts that provide the name and telephone number of the assigned deputy district attorney; the decision on whether to proceed with the case; a variety of ways to obtain victim services; and, links to a supporting website with FAQs and local resources. Funded by an original grant from Innovative Prosecution Solutions, the software sent text message warnings to domestic violence suspects in cases when charges could not be filed.

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