Notes from the National College
the Education Division of NDAA

By Jim Dedman, Director of Academics

The 2006 Career Prosecutor Course—A Tradition Retooled

When the Career Prosecutor Course was first offered by the National College of District Attorneys at the University of Houston, there were two courses of four weeks each during the summer months. Gradually, as more NCDA courses were offered nationally on topics covered at the Career Course, NCDA was able to shorten the course to one offering, and the length of the course settled on ten business days.

In 1998, NCDA opened an office at the National Advocacy Center; and eventually the Career Course moved east with the rest of NCDA and found a new home in Charleston. Since May of 1998 when the first advocacy courses were presented at the NAC, the college has created a schedule of intensive trial advocacy courses at the NAC with emphasis on substantive content and execution. The success of these advocacy courses now permits the college to raise the of discussion of prosecution generally and trial advocacy in particular to a higher level at the Career Course. Prosecutors applying to the 2006 Career Prosecutor Course must have completed general trial advocacy training at the NAC or be able to establish demonstrated trial advocacy experience. The advocacy workshops operate at the strategic and tactical level.

The Career Course is, however, much more than an advocacy course. The course offers training on a wide range of issues and topics of importance to the public prosecutor both in and out of the courtroom. Discussions and presentations will cover such topics as case assessment, forensic science, constitutional law, ethics and professionalism, efficient caseload management and civil liability. The trial advocacy workshops will feature discussions and exercises on such topics as using evidentiary streams, persuasion, meeting defense strategies, case theory opportunities, vantage points and vulnerabilities, opinion witnesses, and effective case themes.

The 2006 Career Prosecutor Course, which will take place June 18-29 in Charleston, South Carolina, will be the 37th annual offering of the course. Over the years the course has produced many of the leaders of prosecution, and the course developed a tradition of excellence. With the 2006 enhancements to the course that tradition will continue.