Criminal Coordination Plan

By Jan Goldsmith

Judge Goldsmith and DA Dumanis have proposed a plan to improve coordination. The DA's office and City Attorney's office share criminal prosecution in the City, but the City Attorney refuses to coordinate. This needs to be corrected.

Superior Court Judge Jan Goldsmith, candidate for San Diego City Attorney, and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis today proposed a joint plan to improve City Attorney and District Attorney coordination in prosecuting violent criminals.

"There is too much waste and inefficiency right now," Goldsmith said. "Violent criminals are getting a break, and taxpayer money is being wasted because the offices are not coordinating their efforts."

The five-point plan includes:

1. Creation of Joint Strike Forces whereby the office efforts are merged for a specific purpose, such as gang violence. Current problem: Criminals don't necessarily fit neatly into the roles of either office. This is particularly true in areas such as gang violence and drugs. Goals: Sharing of knowledge and expertise through joint debriefings; limit duplication; interchangeable appearances; coordination of gang restraining orders and better trial preparation.

2. Coordinate guilty pleas and victim restitution. Provide advanced consent to negotiate pleas on misdemeanors as part of felony guilty plea. Current problem: Felons already convicted or having pled guilty to a felony sometimes remain in county jail rather than being transferred to state prison due to a pending misdemeanor. This costs taxpayers money and adds to overcrowded jails and release of other criminals without necessarily resulting in additional penalties. Goals: Get convicted felons sentenced to prison actually transferred to prison; save taxpayers money.

3. Cross-deputize selected deputy city attorneys and district attorneys to spend a specified period of time serving "on loan" to the other office. Current problem: Some deputy city attorneys would benefit from experience prosecuting felonies, and some deputy district attorneys need misdemeanor experience. Goals: training and developing lines of communication.

4. Seamless case management achieved through connecting the two offices by computer to enhance communication and coordination; designation of liason deputies from each office. Current problem: The offices do not communicate well. The City Attorney's office lacks an effective case management system. Often the offices end up dealing separately with one attorney representing the same criminal defendant. Goals: eliminate duplication of effort on same crimes or criminals; share information; coordinate plea agreements; even out trial or motion caseload; create formal method of communication.

5. Creation of regular joint education and training programs. Current problem: Deputy city attorneys are in need of coordinated training programs. Goals: reduce cost of training and develop lines of communication.

"Implementation of these five steps is not complicated, but it would save significant taxpayer dollars that could better be used toward criminal justice. In addition, these steps would ensure that criminals cannot exploit the poor coordination that currently exists," Goldsmith said. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis agreed that the five-point plan would significantly improve efficiency of the criminal justice system in San Diego. "We need better coordination and efficiency so that we spend our time and money putting violent criminals in jail rather than fighting the bureaucracy," Dumanis said. Although the District Attorney believes that misdemeanors should be transferred to the District Attorney's office, she supports the five-point plan as an "aggressive attempt to address the inefficiency and lack of cooperation we now see."