How Anti-Terrorism Legislation Impacts Local Prosecutors

In response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, many states have passed anti-terrorism statutes or amended state legislation to criminalize crimes that are or may be directly related to terroristic incidents. In reviewing these statutes, APRI, with funding from the National Institute of Justice, launched an exploratory study to help understand how anti-terrorism legislation impacts local prosecutors. Based on the statutory review and policy analysis, APRI developed two charts that examine the different statutes by state.

The first chart, entitled Key Elements of Anti-Terrorism Statutes, categorizes the statutes as follows:

1. newly created criminal offenses, such as actual terrorism incidents, hoaxes or threats that have been added to the criminal code;
   
   
2. enhancements or amendments to precursor crimes and other existing offenses, including revised language to include terroristic motivation or acts committed against the state or local government;
   
   
3. added responsibilities for local prosecutors, such as information sharing, participation in task forces, or involvement in first responder efforts; and
   
   
4. enhancements/changes to intelligence gathering responsibilities and capabilities, such as Title III wiretaps, increased access to computer and financial records, increased allowable use of public space videotaping, use of GPS tracking, and creation of DNA databases.

The second chart, entitled State Criminal Anti-Terrorism Legislation is a compilation of legislation organized by individual states and the above criteria according to the type of criminal offense.

For a more detailed description of the new anti-terrorism statutes or amended state legislation passed since September 11, 2001, please click here.

The Office of Research and Evaluation's work includes:

• Consultant services and management studies
• Empirical research
  • Policy analyses
  • Program evaluation
  • Identification of best practices

The Office of Research and Evaluation has a proven track record of providing insightful consulting services to state and local prosecutors and related agencies. The types of services include:

• Strategic planning;
• Assessment of salary structures and benefits packages;
• Case processing, case flow, and case management analyses;
• Assessment of organizational structures;
• Guidance on the implementation of special initiatives, policies, and procedures;
• Capacity building for monitoring success; and
• Evaluation of the impact of prosecutors' policies, procedures, and special programs (e.g., prevention, intervention, or enforcement programs).

Research staff are available to provide these types of services under contract. For more information, contact APRI Office of Research and Evaluation.

Personnel

The Office of Research and Evaluation is staffed by highly experienced professionals, trained in both qualitative and quantitative sociological research methods, program evaluation, statistical analysis, policy analysis, psychology, criminology, and criminal justice. In addition, the researchers at APRI have experience working as practitioner-researchers in the criminal justice system, prosecutors' offices, social service agencies, and community-based organizations. This unique blend of experience ensures that APRI's Research Unit has a solid understanding of the day-to-day operation of the criminal justice system and agencies, which results in a practical research approach and perspective.

Empirical Research

APRI's empirical research focuses on new and emerging issues that have the potential to directly or indirectly impact prosecution. Different types of research include exploring the nature/prevalence of emerging criminal justice issues, assessing prosecutors' response to different types of crimes and related community problems, and recommending strategies for addressing various prosecution issues.

Recent and on-going research efforts include:

• Adjudication partnerships or www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles1/bja/173949.txt ASCII file
• Caseload and workload
• Community prosecution
  The State of Community Prosecution: Results of a National Survey By Elaine Nugent and Gerard A. Rainville
• Domestic violence
• Drug and alcohol-related crime and prevention, intervention, and enforcement efforts
• Environmental crime
• Hate crime
• Homeland Security/Terrorism
• Juvenile prosecution and juvenile justice programs
• Telemarketing fraud
• Truancy intervention
• Violent offender/truth-in-sentencing legislation
• Victim/witness programs
  
  • Rural Victim Assistance - A Victim/Witness Guide for Rural Prosecutors
    
    
  • National Victim/Witness Assistance Programs Directory

Our research is conducted primarily under federal grants to APRI as well as in partnership with state and local prosecutors who receive federal grants and subcontract with the unit for specific research. The Office of Research and Evaluation is always interested in hearing from prosecutors and others about topics that are of interest to them. Feel free to contact the unit about areas of interest that you think should be studied, or if you would like to partner with APRI for a research study or work with APRI to design a research study that is tailored to your jurisdiction's needs.

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Caseload and Workload Assessments

Hate Crime

National Victim/Witness Assistance Programs Directory