The Prosecutorial Performance Indicators project compiled data and trends on prosecutors’ rejections and dismissals in jurisdictions across the U.S. Prosecutors work with law enforcement in screening, assessing, reviewing, and filing cases based on the level of evidence or whether prosecuting is in the interest of justice and victims. Rejecting cases before filing reduces dismissals later, whether dismissed by a judge or the prosecutor’s office, resolving the process more quickly, serving the interest of justice, and improving community well-being. This can reduce costs to individuals involved and to taxpayers. The MacArthur-supported report makes recommendations to help reduce these human and monetary costs, including eliminating automatic filing, requiring justification to file, and tracking rejection and dismissal decisions and their impact.
