Toward an Open System: The Prosecutor's Classroom

by Matt Kelley · 2009-09-08 08:40:00 UTC
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Today is the first day of school at the Detroit Prosecutor’s office.

The Wayne County, Michigan, Prosecutor's Office kicks off today its second ‘Citizens Academy’ -- a free course for residents of the county to learn about the law, forensics and our criminal justice system from the people behind the wheel.

Similar programs are run by several prosecutors and police departments across the country -- in Colorado, California, Texas and elsewhere.

The syllabus for the Detroit class tends to be a bit skewed toward the state’s side of how justice works, and it leaves out some critical factors that lead to wrongful conviction. Regardless, the class is an important opportunity for members of the public to learn a bit more about the system and to engage and ask questions of prosecutors and justice system officials. A few other programs -- like San Diego's -- seem a bit more well-rounded, with speakers from the defense bar and media.

I would like to see more prosecutors around the country holding classes like this, and holding office hours each week for residents to come with questions. Prosecutors are public servants, and providing access to justice means engaging with constituents -- even when they aren't accused of a crime.

Image: San Diego Citizens Academy brochure.

Matt Kelley is the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project and a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter @mattjkelley.
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