Crime Prevention
and Intervention Strategies

How we choose to address crime, and the fear of crime in this new millennium, to a great extent determines our quality of life. There are two ways we can approach the crime problem in our communities: we can let it happen and deal with it then; or, as I believe we must, we can shape our future by proactively working together in crime prevention and intervention efforts, and on quality of life issues.

Operation Cease-Fire - Gun violence represents one of the greatest threats to the safety of our community and gun-wielding criminals need to be removed from our streets. To address this threat, in 2002 we formed Operation Cease-Fire, a partnership between my office, the United States Attorney’s Office, and local, state, and federal law enforcement where criminal cases involving illegal gun use are identified for federal prosecution. The goal of Operation Cease-Fire is simple: to create safer neighborhoods by reducing gun violence and by removing armed predators from our streets. Those sentenced to Federal Prison thus far are identified in our Operation Cease-Fire Trigger Point Conviction section. Recognizing that community support and involvement are necessary to curb gun violence, Operation Cease-Fire organized response teams to inform the community after a firearm incident. Working together, we send the message that gun violence will not be tolerated in our communities.

Neighborhood State Attorney Initiative - Initiated in 1997 and fully implemented in 1999, this initiative places prosecutor teams directly in the neighborhoods to work with the citizens, law enforcement, other agencies, and civic groups in developing and implementing crime prevention and quality of life strategies.

Drug-Free Calendar - A proactive substance abuse project where kids teach other kids about the benefits of a drug-free life. This project, open to all public and private school students in 4th through 8th grades, is modeled after a program started by Baltimore, Maryland District Attorney Sandra O'Connell.  We started our anti-drug calendar project in 1990. This project is funded through forfeited money seized by law enforcement from drug dealers.

Prosecution Alternatives for Youth (PAY) -  (Teen Court, Peer Court, Community Arbitration Program - These aggressive early intervention programs are designed to hold the juvenile offender accountable for their criminal acts, aid the victim and the community, and to reduce the likelihood of that juvenile reoffending in the future.

State Attorney Norm Wolfinger serves on the Brevard County Take Stock in Children Leadership Council, a mentoring program pairing deserving 7th through 12th grade students with a mentor and providing 2 to 4 years of college or higher education scholarships. The students must remain in school, maintain a 2.5 grade point average, remain crime- and drug-free, and meet with the mentor for one hour a week.

Elder Services Unit - A specialized unit created in October 2000 to address the specific needs of senior victims of crime.

TRIAD - Services for Seniors in Brevard County  - A partnership of the State Attorney's Office and other public and private organizations brought together in Brevard County to address issues and concerns of senior citizens.

TRIAD - Services for Seniors in Seminole County  - A partnership of the State Attorney's Office and other public and private organizations brought together in Seminole County to address issues and concerns of senior citizens.

Early Intervention Strategies

• Drug Court - the State Attorney's Office is a participant in the Drug Court Program where first-time drug offenders are provided substance abuse treatment.
• Pretrial Intervention - a court alternative program for first-time offenders (other than drug offenders).

Adopt-A-Phone - Perpetrators of domestic violence or stalking will take advantage of a victim's inaccessibility to a telephone. This program gives victims cellular telephones programmed to make 911 emergency calls.

Repeat Offender Team - Specialized unit of prosecutors working with law enforcement to identify offenders released from prison in order to prevent further future criminal activity.

Worthless Check Diversion Program - This alternative offers the choice to first-time offenders of entering into a diversion agreement that requires payment of restitution in full, plus payment of the service charge to the victim, as well as a fee for the program. Some offenders are also required to attend an eight-hour course.  By offering this diversion alternative to an offender, victims receive restitution sooner.