Youth
Do the Write Thing Challenge
For the past 15 years, our office has partnered with the National Campaign to Stop Violence for the Do the Write Thing Challenge. Shelby County middle school students are invited to write essays about how violence has impacted their lives and what they think should be done to prevent violence within their communities.
It is our hope that the cycles of violence will be broken in homes, schools and neighborhoods by encouraging young minds to speak out about it.
More than 1,500 entries are submitted to us each year by students throughout Shelby County. Two winners will go to Washington, D.C. and participate in a national conference.
If your middle school student would like to submit an essay, please email tracye.jones@scdag.com.
Community
Community Outreach Team
This team consists of our community affairs director, Environmental Court staff, expungement attorney and three prosecutors assigned full time to the Mt. Moriah, Old Allen and Tillman precincts. The community prosecutors assigned to the police precincts work alongside officers, Juvenile Court, community leaders, schools and clergy to identify the worst offenders as well as those whose issues can be handled without early involvement from the justice system. Learn more about this team here.
Restoration Saturday
The Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk, General Sessions Court Clerk, Memphis City Court Clerk, Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk, Maximus Child Support and other organizations all gather together under one roof to help resolve child support issues, restore drivers licenses, offer education opportunities, job recruitment and possibly expunge minor convictions related to Shelby County.
Restoration Saturday occurs several times a year at accessible locations around Memphis.
Season of Remembrance
An annual memorial service commemorating lives lost to homicide and violent acts in Memphis and Shelby County. Families and friends of homicide victims are encouraged to bring an ornament in honor of their loved one, regardless of the year in which their life was taken. During the ceremony, families place their ornaments on wreaths which will be displayed inside the Hall of Mayors in Memphis City Hall throughout the holiday season. A tree is also displayed to honor each homicide victim for the current year.
The service usually occurs during November or December.
DWLSRC Policy
As of September 2018, cases involving drivers whose licenses are revoked only because they owe fines are no longer prosecuted by our office. As a result, the General Sessions dockets have been significantly reduced and members in our community are not accruing more debt.
Ministers’ Luncheon
Our office partners with local churches to host a quarterly Ministers’ Luncheon where clergy and law enforcement officials can get together to speak about community initiatives and crime prevention.
Community Justice Program
A grassroots alternative to traditional prosecution aimed at restoring victims and communities impacted by crime. Its mission is to unite the victim, the responsible party and the community so that all parties can work together to make the victim whole, curb future offenses and give the community a larger role in the criminal justice process.
Responsible parties and victims must consent to participation in the program. Community members — volunteers willing to undergo training and meet twice a month — make up the Community Justice Panels (CJP). Cases are referred to the CJP by prosecutors who would otherwise handle the cases in court. If the participant completes requirements ordered by the CJP, the case will be returned to prosecutors who then will dismiss the case and also will help get the criminal charge expunged from the participant’s record.
Community members can apply to be a panelist here.
Season of Remembrance at the City of Memphis Council Chambers.
Neighborhoods
Nuisance Actions
These actions have been effective in cleaning up neighborhoods and making them safer by closing down known drug houses and businesses that allow criminal activity to be carried out on their establishments. In cases of businesses that are closed under the nuisance law, the owners may agree to take specific, proactive steps to alleviate the nuisance and are allowed to reopen. If not, the business may be closed permanently.
Anti-Trespassing Program
This program was created to discourage incidents of loitering and criminal trespassing at apartment properties and other multi-family residential communities. This program gives apartment managers additional tools to ensure that their properties and amenities are used by their tenants and invited guests only. Anyone caught on the property of a participating apartment community that cannot verify that they are residents or guests can be charged with criminal trespass.
Drug Dealer Eviction Program
Created and managed by the District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Dealer Eviction Program (DDEP) coordinates the efforts of Crime Stoppers, the Memphis Police Department, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Memphis Area Neighborhood Watch, and local realtors and landlords. The program works like this: Concerned citizens and neighbors call the confidential Crime Stoppers Hotline (901) 528-CASH (2274) to report drug dealing in their community. They will never be required to testify in court.
When sufficient evidence of drug trafficking is gathered and presented to the District Attorney’s Office, the landlord is notified and requested to evict the drug-dealing tenants. If there is enough evidence, criminal charges also may be filed. Whenever tips lead to eviction or criminal conviction, rewards are paid to the tipster.
Jackie Condrey from our office manages the DDEP and our Anti-Trespassing Program. She can be reached at 901-222-1397.
Restoration Saturday at Metropolitan Baptist Church.
Outreach
Operation Comeback
Operation Comeback is part of a violent-crime reduction strategy called Focused Deterrence. Selected groups of repeat offenders are identified, assembled, and warned to stop their violent behavior, or else expect lengthy prison sentences. At the same time, the offenders are offered a way out of their criminal lifestyles with assistance in education, job training, substance abuse treatment, housing and other social services.
In March 2019, we held our first recognition ceremony at Monumental Baptist Church to distinguish six ex-offenders from our first Operation Comeback group who successfully completed the program.
Domestic Violence Call-In
Domestic violence offenders are warned by law enforcement that future offenses will mean enhanced sentencing. During this call-in, offenders are offered counseling, substance abuse treatment and other social services aimed at reducing abusive behavior.
Our office handles more than 6,000 new domestic violence cases each year. The Memphis Police Department responds to more than 50 domestic violence calls each day. Nearly one in five homicides involve domestic partners. Domestic violence in our community has to stop.
Lives Worth Saving
An initiative that aims to educate and empower people exploited by the commercial sex industry. Lives Worth Saving offers information about housing, job training, drug rehab, healthcare and shows individuals there is a way out of life on the street.
Successful completion of the program can lead to the expungement of a prostitution charge.
Specialty Courts
Veterans Court
A supervised treatment program for military veterans whose substance abuse or mental health issues have contributed significantly to their current arrest or criminal conviction involving non-violent crimes. Prosecutors work with the judge, defense counsel and the veterans to develop a comprehensive treatment plan and provide access to a wide array of social services.
Expungement of the veteran’s conviction might also be possible after the completion of the program.
Special Prosecution Courts
The Special Prosecution Courts (Criminal Court Divisions 7 and 8) address cases involving repeat felony offenders identified through a point system adopted by the Criminal Court Judges. Prosecutors in the DA's Special Prosecution Unit handle a wide range of felony offenses and seek maximum sentencing upon conviction of these repeat offenders.
Mental Health Court
Seeks to help repeat non-violent offenders who suffer from severe mental illnesses. Participants can have charges dismissed upon completion of an intensive mental health treatment plan determined by the court. Individuals can be referred to this program by prosecutors, defense attorneys or a mental health facility.
Domestic Violence Courts
Domestic Violence Courts (General Sessions Division 10 and Criminal Court Division 5) have jurisdiction over misdemeanor and felony cases involving one family member abusing another. Because of the high volume of such cases, prosecutors in the DA's Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) limit vertical prosecution to intimate-partner abuse, ranging from domestic assault to homicide. The DVU is a partner with the Family Safety Center which provides domestic violence victims and their families services and assistance.
Drug Court
Eligible individuals with drug-related criminal charges are placed in a 12-month diversion program where their progress is monitored by the judge. This includes outpatient/inpatient treatment, mandatory random drug testing, attendance at treatment sessions, attendance at 12-step meetings, sanctions for non-compliance and assessments for chemical dependency. Participants also may be referred to other programs designed to help them find a life outside of drug dependency.
Waiting area outside of the courtrooms at 201 Poplar.
Safety
Multi-Agency Gang Unit
A partnership between leaders of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies who are working together to identify and eradicate criminal gang activity in the Western District of Tennessee by working alongside local law enforcement, creating the first gang injunction, investigating gang members and educating communities.
West Tennessee Drug Task Force
Investigates drug and violent crimes in the 28th, 29th and 30th judicial districts.
U.S. Attorney Partnership
Our office works alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office, law enforcement officials and community leaders in the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative to identify and develop comprehensive solutions to address violent crime.
Our office also has two Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys on loan to the U.S. Attorney’s Office to fight the war on guns and drugs.