H.R.350 - Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R.350, the "Prosecutors Need to Prosecute Act," aims to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act. It mandates that district attorney and prosecutor offices in jurisdictions serving 380,000 or more people report specific data on covered offenses to the Attorney General annually. This data includes the number of cases referred, declined, plea agreements reached, and cases involving repeat offenders.
Expected Effects
The bill seeks to increase transparency and accountability within prosecutor's offices. It requires detailed reporting on prosecution rates and outcomes for specific crimes. The collected data will be submitted to the Judiciary Committees of both the Senate and the House of Representatives and published on a public website.
Potential Benefits
- Increased transparency in prosecutorial decisions.
- Potential for data-driven improvements in crime reduction strategies.
- Enhanced accountability of district attorneys and prosecutors.
- Better understanding of recidivism rates for covered offenses.
- Informed policy-making based on comprehensive data.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Increased administrative burden on prosecutor's offices.
- Potential for misinterpretation or misuse of reported data.
- Risk of creating a punitive environment for prosecutors, discouraging discretion.
- Possible privacy concerns related to the level of detail in the reports.
- Costs associated with data collection, reporting, and publication.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the Constitution, particularly Article I, Section 8, which grants Congress the power to provide for the general welfare and establish laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers. The reporting requirements do not seem to infringe upon individual liberties or states' rights, although potential privacy concerns could arise depending on the specific data collected and how it is used. The Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states, and this bill could be seen as an encroachment on state prosecutorial autonomy, although the Byrne grants provide a federal hook.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).