District Attorney
Overview
Mission Statement
To promote and ensure public safety through ethical and just prosecution.
Department Overview
The District Attorney represents the People of the State of California in all criminal prosecutions in Santa Cruz County. The Office is responsible for filing criminal charges, appearing in court on all felony and misdemeanor cases, and representing the People in all trials and sentencing proceedings in the Superior Court of Santa Cruz.
Budget Summary
Department Budget Overview
Budget Summary of Changes
The District Attorney budget funds 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) Attorney I to provide capacity to continue addressing a large volume of serious ongoing cases and staffing specialty courtrooms for veterans, truancy, behavioral health, and the Neighborhood Court Program. The budget also reflects scheduled and negotiated salary and benefit increases and supports Victim-Witness Assistance staff previously funded by a grant.
The District Attorney's operational objectives include a focus on increased restorative justice and diversion through Neighborhood Court by introducing Spanish-language conferences; capacity building focused on helping partner law enforcement agencies be better prepared to handle and investigate digital evidence, including internal testing of artificial intelligence tools; and developing partnerships and strategies to keep kids in school and address recent high and growing rates of truancy.
Open the Services Overview or Operational Plan Objectives below for more details.
Department Operations and Performance
Budget Details
The charts below show department expenditures and revenues by division and service. Click on the pie charts to drill down for more detail. Complete detail can be found on the County's Transparency Portal.
Expenses by Service
Expenses and Revenues over time
Personnel Details
The chart below provides the department personnel detail by division, service, and classification.
Footnotes
Indicates change from FY 2022-23 Adjusted Funded Positions (including Board-approved mid-year changes as of April 1, 2023).