Planning Assistance to the Connecticut Drug Prosecution Program

• NCJ Number: 116347
• Date Published: August 1988
• Publication Type: Publication

Annotation

This 1988 study evaluated the Connecticut State's Attorney's Drug Prosecution Program and its reporting system to determine the extent to which it had achieved the goals set out in the grant application and possible ways of improving the program.

Abstract

Using a vertical prosecution approach and prosecutors specializing in serious drug cases, the program sought to maintain limited caseloads, prioritize cases, reduce court delays, and improve communication and cooperation between drug prosecutors and law enforcement. Since the program went into effect in October 1987, general goals have been achieved. The program has received a very favorable response, especially from police narcotics officers; and drug prosecution has been enhanced. Three additional special prosecutors will be added to the five currently in the program. Uniformity in prosecution has not been perfectly achieved as a result of different community and judicial environments. Although case acceptance criteria and plea bargaining standards tended to vary, this absence of strict uniformity was defended as more practical and successful. Charging and disposition are becoming more uniform. Staffing limitations have resulted in more restrictive Standards for case acceptance and necessitated a modified form of vertical prosecution. Effective enforcement and prosecution is undermined by a lack of prison and jail space and supportive legislation in such areas as forfeiture, electronic surveillance, and mandatory fines and fees for probationers. Given these problems, the prosecutors are doing a very good job. Forms used in the program are appended.