Tap in Center Helps People Clear Low-Level Warrants (2022)

Video Edition Updated

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (St. Louis, MO)

Population: 996,179 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 66 | Contact Information

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (SLCPA) partnered with the Court, Public Defender, and the County Library to create a “Tap In Center” where community members can get legal help in order to clear warrants and take care of issues in criminal cases that would normally require a court appearance.  The program was launched in order to provide better access to services in a non-threatening environment, that caters to people who work or have childcare obligations during normal court hours.

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Automated Expungements (2022)

Video Edition Updated

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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Procedural Justice Training for Prosecutors (2021)

Video Edition Updated

Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association (Harrisburg, PA)

State Population: 13,002,700 | Contact Information

In partnership with the Villanova law school, the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association launched a four-part virtual briefing series on procedural justice in March of 2021. Presentations were built upon the four pillars of procedural justice – fairness in the process, transparency in actions, opportunities for a voice, and impartiality in decision making.

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Amending Case Review Policies to Reduce Disparate Impact of Non-Safety Traffic Stops (2021)

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Ingham County District Attorney’s Office (Lansing, MI)

Population: 292,406 | Number of Full-Time Prosecutors: 34 | Contact Information

In the Ingham County District Attorney’s Office, prosecutors are no longer filing cases that result from non-safety traffic stops, even where contraband may be discovered. The rationale behind this innovation is to reduce the disparate impact that such stops have on communities of color. Nationwide, drivers of color are disproportionately stopped and searched at a higher rate than similarly situated white drivers, even though searches of white drivers were more likely to result in the recovery of illegal contraband.

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