JANELLE P. KENDALL Stearns County Attorney
The Practical Effect of Criminal Justice System Efficiency on County Budgets Janelle Kendall Stearns County Attorney Association of Minnesota Counties Annual Meeting December 7, 2015
2015 PACE Adult Criminal Filings
Types of Adult Criminal Felony Filings 2015 PACE
Adult Criminal Trials So far in 2015: 30+ trials
Variety and complexity continues to increase over time. Complex Issues = More Prep & Longer Trials
Most Assaults by Family & Acquaintances
JANELLE P. KENDALL
Preparing any Case for Trial: Witnesses: family / strangers / relationships matter Evidence: direct / circumstantial / scientific / electronic Police Reports: transcribed / detailed / complete
Preparing any Case for Trial: Certified Documents: Where / when / complete Supplements from Witness Interviews Trial Equipment Video / audio / elmo / screens / expectations Jail challenges
Trials beyond mere numbers Experts Complexity Child sex abuse Domestic abuse Shootings/ballistics/DNA/fingerprints Technology Cell phones/computers Video: squad/cell phone/security (body cameras.) More Witnesses and More Complex Issues = More Prep & Longer Trials
Justice Delayed is... More Expensive Justice Jail space is a valuable public safety tool State court administration age of cases Constitutional requirements Delay is both harmful and costly: for victims especially children for witnesses especially in person crime cases for cooperation with prosecution
Criminal Case Factors-County $$: Equipment, Training, Staffing, Attitude 911 Dispatch trained on what/how/when/why equipped/staffed to have a chance to use training Law Enforcement report writing transcripts follow up expectations by same officer? officer availability immediate, later, at trial jail: how do you use yours? Jail: highly regulated that s why the rest matters! Highly regulated, that s why the rest matters!
Criminal Case Factors-County $$: Equipment, Training, Staffing, Attitude Prosecutors up front legal advice; phones, ipads, on call time frames: in custody, or turnaround expectations judicial expectations constitutional limitations court culture jury expectations (forensics, experts) support staff type, quality, longevity database to track/measure Court: facilities/space, access to jail Probation: all the rest won t matter if this doesn t
How does the system keep up? Quality of decision-making: Equipment, training, staffing, attitude: Reporting of crime/abuse Investigations Custodial arrest vs. release Only matter if bail amount works Court turnaround time Level of supervision meaningful?
Before adding staff Who does what (investigations back outside office in 2003) Technology stretched ongoing, before/during/after case handling Re-arranged and re-assigned work as numbers climbed Out of class pay within union contracts Nature/# of files & resulting trials ultimately beyond capacity whole system slowing volume trending up To save time/money, had to use some Issue: where most efficient, since all inter-connected Ahead: Probation/pre-trial supervision changes for highest risk cases ACES (adverse childhood experiences) measurement offenders, victims and witnesses Prosecution of all level offenses better 1 st time
Criminal Justice System Efficiency Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee commissioners, administration, judges, prosecutors, defense, jail, law enforcement (colleges?) Relationships Between department heads With county board With county administration
Criminal Justice System Efficiency Education and Enforcement Multiple ways to change behaviors Where want time/$/angst spent (pick one you can win and advertise!) Plan verses Reaction Diversion Targeted corrections programming Targeted prosecution drugs, domestics Efficiencies of scale city contracts
The Practical Effect of Criminal Justice System Efficiency on County Budgets Being in it together makes it less bad for everyone.