No.  22		

Investing in our community’s safety: Prosecutor numbers receive a major boost

Attorney General, Simon Corbell, has today announced a major boost for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to enable an additional five prosecutors and three support staff to be employed, representing a significant investment in community safety.

The Government has allocated $3.5 million over the next four years in the 2009-10 ACT Budget for the continuing growth of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“The DPP currently has 29 prosecutors so this significant additional funding will greatly boost the workforce of lawyers, paralegals and support staff,” said Mr Corbell.

“There has been increasing demand on the Office of the DPP and this funding will go a long way towards reducing pressure on the office and allow the prosecutors to focus on the important work they do representing the community in the ACT Courts.

“The DPP is a vital part of the criminal justice system. If the DPP is operating at increased capacity, the efficiency of the entire criminal justice system is improved.

“There has been a considerable increase in the amount and complexity of prosecution work in recent years.  

“As well, continuous improvements to court case management practices have placed greater demands on the DPP,” Mr Corbell said.  

“The much needed extra resources will mean that the DPP can respond to these changing circumstances.”

Director of Public Prosecutions Jon White has welcomed the increased funding.

“The increased staffing numbers will greatly assist my Office in its job of prosecuting on behalf of the community,” Mr White said.

“The extra funding will be particularly helpful in implementing changes brought about by the Government’s sexual assault reform program, which aims to reduce the trauma for victims of assaults participating in the criminal justice process.

“There is every reason to expect increased reporting of, and prosecution of, sexual assaults.  The DPP will now be better equipped to deal with these important and difficult cases.”

5 May 2009
Media Contact:		Patrick Cronan 	6205 0401(w)     0432 758 224(m)