The emerging Traffic Safety Program at PAC serves as a resource to prosecutors who specialize in traffic safety cases, particularly Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Homicide by Motor Vehicle.
State prosecutors enforce DUI offenses which are often difficult to prosecute because of the involvement of scientific evidence and analysis, stringent testing procedures and expert testimony. Defense attorneys are becoming increasingly specialized and technically sophisticated, and are successfully developing and advancing precedent setting defenses to traffic safety charges. If “hard-core” drinking drivers are to be removed from our highways, then prosecution trial performance must be, at a minimum, equivalent to the defense bar.
The new Traffic Safety Program provides specialized training, legal research, best practices resources, and “real-time” trial support to enhance the capacity of the prosecution profession to successfully prosecute traffic safety violations. Support to Georgia Solicitors-General and District Attorney s included:
- Analyzed emerging law and issues pertinent to traffic safety prosecutions that are being exploited by defense attorneys. Prepared legal briefs and memoranda for Georgia prosecutors.
- Inaugurated the Georgia Traffic Prosecutor, a quarterly publication that highlights important developments in the law for prosecutors involved in traffic safety prosecutions.
- Provided instruction on trial competency skills. Shared successful trial tactics and techniques and jury persuasion strategies. Taught the art of cross examination and countering defense experts.
- Encouraged and supported collaborative “team” approaches to trials between police and prosecutors.
- In cooperation with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Traffic Law Center of the American Prosecutors Research Institute, began planning, scheduling and organizing the Protecting Lives, Saving Futures course to be presented to prosecutor and law enforcement teams in the Fall of 2004.
- Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutors conducted trials in traffic related criminal cases where local prosecutors’ offices had conflicts.
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