HomeMy WebLinkAboutProsecuting AttorneyJefferson County 2019 Budget
BUDGET/PROGRAM: Prosecuting Attorney’s Office/001-150-000
MISSION: We are the law office for Jefferson County, dedicated to the service of justice and the protection of the County and all its citizens.
HOW WE FULFILL OUR MISSION: The PAO’s major functions are:
1. Justly prosecuting felony and misdemeanor crimes necessary to protect our citizens (including investigation, charging, trials and appeals);
2. Representing the Juvenile Services Department in Court to protect the future of our children;
3. Representing the County in Drug Court to eliminate crimes and promote the health and safety of citizens;
4. Collecting money on behalf of children not being financially supported to provide financial support;
5. Protecting victims and witnesses from the devastating results of criminal behavior;
6. Representing or providing legal oversight for every civil claim or lawsuit filed against the County, an elected official or an employee; and,
7. Providing legal advice to every department of the County on a wide range of subjects to minimize the County’s risk.
We have just five lawyers and five legal assistants to perform this work for the County. We hope to add one half-time Attorney to assist with Mental Health Court, code
enforcement, and other civil matters as assigned by the Chief Civil DPA
REVENUE:
2016
Actual
2017
Actual 2018 Budget
2018
Amended 2019 Request Memo
1/2 County Prosecuting Attorney Salary
81,851 88,898 91,565 86,861
The revenue in this row is actually
reflective of 1/2 of a Superior
Court Judge salary.
DSHS Support Enforcement Contract 26,745 88,268 68,187 62,000
Charges for Legal Services 0 0 0
Duplicating Services (copies for public)22 52 54 55
Other Judgments and Settlements 0 0 0
Miscellaneous Revenue 0 0 0
Reimbursement of Travel Expense 0 1,545 1,591
Transfer in from Fund 135 16,300 16,789 17,293 18,000
124,918 195,552 178,690 148,916
Prosecuting Attorney’s Office/001-150-000
JEFFERSON COUNTY 2019 BUDGET REQUEST
EXPENDITURES:
2016
Actual 2017 Actual
2018
Adopted
2018
Amended 2019 Request Memo Amt
Salaries and Wages 669,615 667,381 707,505 733,422 836,101 Additional Civil Deputy 92,595
Personnel Benefits 242,690 244,491 262,049 267,830 309,465 Additional Benefits 37,038
Prof Svcs 0 6,264 6,451 Total 129,633
Postage 1,056 1,088 1,088 1,120
Trial Expenses 9,774 13,725 14,137 14,137 14,561
Dues and Subscriptions 8,456 5,279 5,437 5,437 5,600
Library Books and Materials 11,235 12,669 13,049 16,948 17,456
Travel 5,467 11,335 7,675 7,675 7,905
Schools and Seminars 1,340 740 2,392 4,892 5,038
Communications 3,882 5,598 5,766 6,076 6,257
Office Supplies 9,261 8,446 8,699 8,891 9,157
Support Enforcement Legal Services 663 1,162 1,197 1,197 1,232
Support Enforcement Travel/Training 550 740 762 762 784
Equipment 0 0 0 0 0
962,933 972,622 1,029,756 1,074,619 1,221,127
Prosecuting Attorney’s Office/001-150-000
JEFFERSON COUNTY 2019 BUDGET REQUEST
STAFFING: 2016
Actual
2017
Actual
2018
Adopted
2018
Amended
2019
Request
Attorneys – including elected Prosecutor 5 6
Clerk Hire Attorney
Legal Assistants 4.4 4.4
Support Enforcement Officer .6 .6
TOTAL PROSECUTOR STAFF 9.7 10 11
BUDGET/PROGRAM: Prosecuting Attorney’s Office/001-150-000
GOALS FOR FY2019
1. Provide and maintain the ongoing high levels of legal representation the taxpayers of Jefferson County are entitled to.
2. Retain educated, motivated and dedicated employees necessary to fulfill all the PAO’s major functions.
3. Reduce risk to the County by providing outstanding legal services in all the PAO’s major functions.
OBJECTIVES FOR FY2019
1. Enhance the morale of the PAO necessary to provide legal services in circumstances that are regularly stressful and complex.
2. Increase the level of performance of PAO personnel through additional training.
3. Increase the level of support for County enforcement for violations of public health, fire safety and building codes through the addition of a half-time Deputy
Prosecutor.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
2016
Actual
2017
Actual
2018
Plan
2019
Plan
SUPERIOR COURT
Total felony cases filed
176 195 160
See 2018. Criminal activity appears to be on the rise; however,
significantly more time and energy is going into the prosecution of
sex offenses. Additionally, Jefferson County has been hit by the
opioid epidemic as has much of the nation. This could reasonably be
expected to lead to an increase in property and drug crimes.
Charges involving controlled substances 74 80 45
Theft/burglary charges filed 36 56 58
Felony cases involving domestic violence 27 24 15
Felony trials 7 9 7
Charges resulting in conviction 62 48 41
Cases resulting in prison sentence
Sexual Offences
16
7
7
6
12
12
Prosecuting Attorney’s Office/001-150-000
JEFFERSON COUNTY 2019 BUDGET REQUEST
Felony cases dismissed 40 40 16 25
DRUG COURT
Petitions for Drug Court granted 31 22 33
Drug Court participant failures (resulting in
conviction on original charges) 31 4 7
Drug Court graduations (successful completion of
program) 12 14 7 14
FELONY DIVERSION
Petitions for felony diversion program Program -- -- --
Felony diversions completed (resulting in case
dismissal)
Discontinued --
--
--
JUVENILE COURT
Reports reviewed for criminal charges
Criminal cases filed in Juvenile Court
Cases referred to Juvenile Diversion program
DISTRICT COURT
Total number of cases filed in District Court 445 276 400
Criminal cases filed involving domestic violence 37 35 36
District Court trials 8 6 9
District Court cases dismissed 167 62 90
PRE-FILING DIVERSION PROGRAM
(District Court)
Cases referred by law enforcement
Cases resolved without criminal prosecution
Unresolved diversion cases filed in District Court
MENTAL HEALTH COURT
Petitions to Mental Health Court
Cases accepted into Mental Health Court
CRIMINAL APPEALS 3 9 4 8
Prosecuting Attorney’s Office/001-150-000
JEFFERSON COUNTY 2019 BUDGET REQUEST
SUMMARY OF KEY FUNDING/SERVICE ISSUES: Retention of PAO personnel has a direct relationship to the County’s risk. The major functions of the PAO are
essential services to the County and its citizens. PAO staff regularly must deal with citizens under the most difficult of circumstances, after having been attacked or violated,
or after things have been stolen from them. Key programs, like juvenile services or drug court help some of the people who perpetuate these crimes. But prosecutors also deal
with people whose conduct requires they be imprisoned to protect the citizens of the County. To say the least, these are not pleasant people to deal with. Prosecutors weigh
evidence and balance doing justice and protecting our citizens. That is a stressful mix, especially when our most vulnerable citizens are affected. On the civil side, we have
one civil deputy who is very capable, but even working much more than full time, he cannot fulfill timely all the requests for legal services sent to him. In the past two years,
the PAO has lost many people to higher paying jobs in Port Townsend and Clallam County. These losses have a direct relationship to our ability to perform our mission, goals
and objectives. The type of staff we need do not grow on trees because the level of education, skill, training and temperament necessary is not easy to find. Effective service
from the PAO reduces the risk to the County. When additional financial pressures from low pay get added to the expected job stress, the level of services suffer. Last year, the
County partly addressed some of these financial pressures for the lawyers in the PAO. The BoCC should authorize the creation of a full-time (40 hrs/week) DPA at Grade 20.
This position will be assigned to Mental Health Court, ITA’s, Code Enforcement, Quiet Title Actions, Firearms Rights Restoration actions, and other duties as directed by the
Chief Civil DPA.
Appeals filed in the State Court of Appeals 3 2 3
Appeals filed in Superior Court (RALJ)
CIVIL DIVISION
Number of County contracts reviewed 244 167 174 231
Lawsuits involving Jefferson County 10 16 24
SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT
Open Support Enforcement cases -- -- 46 open
32 referred
Open paternity cases 10 open
9 referred
Support modifications filed 3 open
9 referred
Contempt cases
33 open
14 referred
DCS Reports and misc. cases 2