Results from a randomized controlled trial of early outreach to complaining witnesses

• In Event: Innovation and Reform in Prosecution: Outreach, Declination, Diversion, and Case Outcomes

Abstract

Working with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Deason Center investigated the impact of early victim outreach on prosecutor charging decisions. A random sample of non-intimate-partner assault cases was assigned to receive prompt outreach from dedicated Victim Intake Fellow (VIF) staff. Results suggest the intervention had substantial and significant impacts on both the likelihood cases would be declined for prosecution, and on the time prosecutors took to make that determination.

Authors

• Pamela Metzger, Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center, SMU Dedman School of Law

• Victoria Smiegocki, Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center, SMU Dedman School of Law

• Shem Vinton, Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center, SMU Dedman School of Law

• Andrew L. Davies, Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center, SMU Dedman School of Law