Smart Prosecution Initiative

SmartProsecution.APAInc.org The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) worked closely with the Smart Prosecution Sites and BJA as the training and technical assistance partner to support prosecutor’s offices. APA, working directly with BJA, provided services to each site which include the following: host meetings; facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges of information; provide relevant subject matter expertise; deliver training programs and produce reports. These efforts guide agencies and strengthen their Smart Prosecution Initiative as they implement innovative, evidence-based prosecution strategies to ensure public safety. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) developed and administered The Smart Prosecution Initiative as part of BJA’s “Smart Suite” of crime fighting programs which include Smart Policing and Smart Supervision. The Smart Prosecution model builds off lessons learned from BJA’s “Smart Suite” of crime-fighting programs. Smart Prosecution is designed to promote effective, data-driven, research-based strategies for prosecution and prosecutor-led justice system reforms. The Smart Prosecution Initiative pairs an operational, results-focused researcher with a prosecutor’s office for the development of data-driven solutions to create effective, efficient, and fair prosecution strategies to improve public safety. This initiative targets one of the following areas: evidence-based or best practices to solve contemporary crime problems and criminogenic circumstances; developing innovative, data-driven approaches to contemporary crime problems and criminogenic circumstances; or instilling innovative, evidence-based, best practices in prosecutor’s offices. This approach provides valuable resources for enabling a prosecutor’s office to access data from various criminal justice and non-criminal justice information systems to improve the security and quality of life for communities. One of the intended outcomes for The Smart Prosecution Initiative is the development of a rich body of knowledge for use by prosecutors nationally as they seek to work with communities to solve chronic problems and fight violent crime.