Prosecutorial Case Screening to Improve Public Safety

This proposed project aims to implement a rigorous case review process, or screening in the City of Cincinnati Law Department’s Division of Prosecuting Attorneys (herein, the Division). The Division prosecutes all misdemeanors occurring in Cincinnati: nearly 29,000 cases in 2023. The Division employs fourteen prosecutors and one domestic violence prosecutor to cover fourteen courtrooms in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Seven paralegals support the prosecutors, three of whom can provide victim assistance. The Division also contracts with a local advocacy organization to provide courthouse services in domestic and intimate partner violence cases. The goals of the screening program are improving public safety and victim services, increasing office and case efficiency, reducing observed or measurable racial disparities, increasing alternate programming, and prosecuting serious offenses more effectively.