Page 4 - DA Highlights and Acheivements

2016 - 2019 COURT CASES
Louisiana law requires that any crime that could result in a death or life sentence be charged by grand jury indictment.
In 2016, the office brought 15 grand jury indictments for homicide; all have closed with 2 cases currently pending. There were 7,029 criminal court cases, 5,340 traffic cases, 2,451 child support cases, 2,651 juvenile cases and 810 hot check cases.
In 2017, the DA’s office opened 18,944 new cases. There were 7,521 criminal court cases, 5,949 traffic cases, 2,706 child support cases, 2,015 juvenile cases and 753 hot check cases. 12 homicide indictments were brought; all have closed with 5 pending.
In 2018, the DA’s office opened 18,387 new cases. There were 7,684 criminal court cases, 5,940 traffic cases, 2,246 child support cases, 1,928 juvenile cases and 589 hot check cases.
In 2019, the DA’s office brought 37 homicide indictments with all pending. The DA’s office opened 20,557 new cases. There were 8,380 criminal court cases, 6,323 traffic cases, 2,145 child support cases, 2,846 juvenile cases and 863 hot check cases.
Careful screening from the newly established Homicide Unit, combined with the hard work of police and prosecutors, has resulted in no “not guilty” verdict of any murder trial brought during District Attorney Stewart’s tenure.
BUDGET REPORT
The office’s total budgeted revenue for 2019 was $9,782,196, which came from the following sources:
Parish financial assistance, $5,672,619 State financial assistance, $1,325,000 Federal financial assistance, $1,290,957 Collection fees, $574,795
Fines and forfeitures, $473,823 Court costs, $166,661
Asset forfeitures, $145,000 Other, $100,000
Interest, $33,342
2019 budgeted expenditures were $9,752,261
PRE-TRIAL DIVERSION AND RE-INVESTMENT PROGRAM
Our office offers an alternative to prosecution and incarceration, a Pre-trial Diversion and Re-Investment Program for first time offenders of non-violent crimes. This year-long rigorous program of intensive counseling, community service, and victim restitution screens an average of 600 defendants per year out of the criminal justice system. The program has been highly effective, and only 1.7 percent of defendants who have successfully completed the program have re-offended since implementation. In 2018, our new diversion program received national recognition as a model of an alternative to incarceration for alcohol and substance abuse defendants.