PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will serve as a mentor to other prosecution agencies in several critical practice areas as part of an innovative program developed by the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. As one of eight jurisdictions selected to participate in the National High Performance Prosecution (HPP) Framework, the MCAO will provide real-world demonstrations of forward-looking strategies and best practices for the modern prosecutor’s toolkit. Developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Center for Court Innovation, the HPP Framework will focus on providing prosecutors around the country with training and development in four key areas:
- Embracing community prosecution
- Harnessing science and technology
- Implementing information sharing
- Employing research and evaluation outcomes
“We look forward to the opportunity to share the knowledge we have gained from specific initiatives in these important areas and helping fellow prosecutors reap the benefits of proven approaches we have developed to achieve our mission,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.
As an HPP Mentor Site, the MCAO will receive technical assistance from APA to host site visits, design training materials, and provide demonstrations of policies and practices that address issues in the strategic focus areas. MCAO representatives will also participate in a working group to develop a publication detailing a “state of the field” of High Performance Prosecution.
“The success Maricopa County has demonstrated in addressing multiple components of the HPP Framework will provide invaluable guidance to other agencies seeking to achieve the next generation of prosecutorial innovation,” said APA Vice-President Steven Jansen.
The APA was founded as a national “think tank” to represent all prosecutors and provide additional resources such as training and technical assistance in an effort to develop proactive innovative prosecutorial practices that prevent crime, ensure equal justice and make our communities safer. APA is the only national organization to represent and support all prosecutors, including both appointed and elected prosecutors, as well as their deputies and assistants, whether they work as city attorneys, tribal prosecutors, district attorneys, state’s attorneys, attorneys general or US attorneys.
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