The Future of Prosecution, Criminal Justice Crystal Ball Series, Part 1, with Nelson Bunn

Season 2Episode 19November 5, 2020

In the midst of a national debate about criminal justice reform, what’s the role of the prosecutor and how do we transform the system while still centering victims?

In the midst of a national debate about criminal justice reform, what’s the role of the prosecutor? And how do we transform the system while still centering victims? We spoke to Nelson Bunn, executive director of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), about the unique role of prosecutors in leading systemic change. In a time of anxiety in the community about the relationship with law enforcement and with the criminal justice system overall, trust, accountability, and transparency are vitally important. And so are victims—we have to make sure they’re taken care of as well.

This episode is the first in a three part series on criminal justice reform: Criminal Justice Crystal Ball. How might the justice system look different moving forward? Let’s find out.

Topics in this episode:

  • Prosecutors’ perspective on criminal justice reform (2:11)
  • A shift in thinking over time (6:20)
  • Transparency, accountability, and trust (11:25)
  • Collaboration; the CAC model (17:09)
  • The voice of the victim (21:05)
  • Our next episode (23:32)

Links:

Nelson Bunn, is executive director of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA)

First Step Act of 2018 (and the NDAA press release about it)

Commonswealth’s Attorney Nancy G. Parr is the current president of NDAA

Prison Fellowship website has a video on Why Pell Grants Matter

The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) model and multidisciplinary teams (MDTs)

Transcript to come.