February 6, 2020

Agency Will Analyze Data to Assess Equity Policies and Protocols 

Decatur, Ga.- The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office has been selected by the Vera Institute of Justice to participate in its Reshaping Prosecution program, a national initiative focused on criminal justice reform.

As part of its stated mission, the Vera Institute of Justice “produces ideas, analysis, and research that inspires change in the systems people rely upon for safety and justice. Vera collaborates with communities most impacted by these systems and works in close partnership with government and civic leaders to implement change.” Along with DeKalb, two other counties, including Ingham County in Michigan, and Boulder County in Colorado, were selected for the Vera partnership after demonstrating a strong commitment to working to transform policies, practices, and office culture to address disparities and increase transparency and accountability to their respective communities.

“We’re thrilled for the opportunity to work with three new partner offices and ensure they have the resources and support they need to reimagine the role of the prosecutor as they seek justice and promote safety in their communities,” said Jamila Hodge, director of Vera’s Reshaping Prosecution program.

Each new office will work with Vera to implement concrete, data-informed policy and practice reforms to increase public safety while simultaneously reducing the reach and impact of the criminal legal system, promoting racial equity, and increasing public confidence in office operations.

“It is an honor to have been selected by the Vera Institute of Justice as a partner site for its data-driven analysis of our policies and procedures,” said District Attorney Sherry Boston. “This is an opportunity for us to take an honest look at our operations, understand what we’re doing well, and identify areas for improvement in our ongoing efforts to create a more fair and equitable system for processing cases and promoting just outcomes.”

The Vera selection comes on the heels of District Attorney Boston offering a comprehensive training on the issue of implicit bias for every staff member, a first in the history of the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office and amongst other prosecution offices statewide. The Vera partnership commences immediately, with an estimated duration of 18-24 months. 

For more information, visit www.vera.org.