NCJ Number
174655
Journal
Fordham Urban Law Journal Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: Spring 1993 Pages: 419-430
Date Published
1993
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Referring frequently to the "Howard Beach Case," in which three African-American men were pursued by a gang of young white men wielding sticks and bats (one was severely beaten and another was chased onto a six-lane highway where he was hit and killed by a car), this article discusses what urban prosecutors can do to enhance the actual and perceived fairness of urban criminal justice.
Abstract
One aspect of fairness in case processing is the nondiscriminatory selection of jurors by the defense and the prosecution. Racial discrimination in the selection of jurors undermines the public's confidence in the court system and denies excluded jurors the opportunity to participate in the justice system. The author describes the recent reorganization of his office into five geographical prosecution zones along community lines. The zones are smaller and more responsive to the people they serve. A prosecution team, consisting of a bureau chief, two deputy chiefs, and 24 lawyers, has been assigned to each zone and given the responsibility for prosecuting felonies that occur in that zone. The author also advises that to have a fair urban criminal justice system, all necessary steps must be taken to ensure that crime victims are protected by the system. The author's office has a "Child's Room" to assist children of sexual abuse and the children of sexual abuse victims. His office also has a Crime Victims Counseling Unit, which assists crime victims who may request help. An urban prosecutor's office must also be involved in education and rehabilitation efforts. In this regard, the author created an adopt-a-school program in his office to reach out to juveniles at risk of delinquency and established numerous advisory councils composed of major ethnic groups, senior citizens, a women's group, members of the gay and lesbian community, and union health and safety experts. These councils' purpose is to advise the prosecutor about law enforcement issues facing their constituents. Prosecutorial diversion programs have also been established. Overall, the urban criminal prosecutor must take an active role in the system by being an advocate for positions that protect the rights of all citizens. 15 footnotes