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The
Criminal Prosecutions Division is comprised of 65 attorneys
and three paralegals. It encompasses the Major Crimes Unit,
the Juvenile Unit, the General Felony/Misdemeanor Unit, the
Sexual Assault/Family Protection Unit, and the Litigation Support
Unit. With the exception of the Major Crimes Unit, all units
have a supervising attorney to handle immediate supervisory
responsibilities, while the chief deputy of the Criminal Prosecutions
Division provides direction and guidance regarding filing decisions,
trial strategy, unit assignments, three strikes and death penalty
cases, grant applications, and grant reporting obligations.
The chief deputy of the Criminal Prosecutions Division also
acts as a liaison to the six law enforcement agencies in the
county and is responsive to inquiries from the public. This
division handles most of the over 23,500 criminal cases filed
each year by the District Attorney’s Office.
Attorneys in the Major Crimes Unit report directly to the
chief deputy of the Criminal Prosecutions Division. In addition
to prosecuting the most heinous crimes from homicides to gang-related
drive-by shootings, the unit also provides 24-hours-per-day
legal assistance to law enforcement agencies in areas such
as search warrant preparation, crime scene response, and evaluation
of officer-involved shootings. The chief deputy assigns cases
to the prosecutors in the Major Crimes Unit and provides input
and direction as a case proceeds from the investigative stage
through sentencing.
In addition to overseeing the prosecutorial units, the chief
deputy of the Criminal Prosecutions Division also serves as
liaison to both the civil and criminal grand juries, chairs
the Ventura County Child Death Review Team, the Ventura County
Domestic Violence Death Review Team, and sits on numerous
other countywide committees that address law enforcement issues.
The chief deputy also addresses various community groups on
the functions and policies of the District Attorney’s
Office. As a member of the District Attorney’s management
team, the chief deputy advises the District Attorney on office
policy.
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