CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. announces the creation of the Clearfield County District Attorney Web site.
Shaw said the Web site was created in an effort to better serve the citizens of Clearfield County. Answers to many questions people have about the district attorney’s office and law enforcement efforts in Clearfield County are available on this site.
Shaw said the website has been created to save tax dollars and improve several components of the criminal justice system in Clearfield County. The Web site was created and paid for by Shaw and no tax dollars were used in the project. Shaw said that he personally pays for the site because he believes the Web site will be a valuable tool for the district attorney’s office and will save the taxpayers of Clearfield County thousands of dollars.
The primary reason for creating the site was to reduce costs associated with criminal prosecutions.
Every year a portion of the district attorney’s budget is dedicated to providing “discovery” to defense attorneys.
In every criminal case, the district attorney must provide defense attorneys with a copy of the evidence that will be used during the prosecution. The procedure for providing these documents is referred to as the discovery process.
In recent years, the district attorney’s office has printed over 200,000 pages of discovery documents for defense attorneys. Shaw said, “There is no way to avoid this procedure, the Rules require that the district attorney disclose all evidence regarding a criminal case to defense attorneys”
However, Shaw said that what can be avoided is the high cost associated with the traditional method of providing discovery. The cost of paper, copying and postage adds up, and Shaw said that with the use of computer technology, these high costs can be nearly eliminated.
The district attorney’s office now scans all discovery material and creates an electronic file of the discovery. The electronic discovery material is then uploaded to the district attorney’s Web site. Defense attorneys are provided with a username and password and are able to access secure portions of the Web site to view, download and print their discovery material.
Shaw estimates that this new procedure will save taxpayers in excess of $12,000 over a four-year period.
Additionally, the Web site is designed to promote community involvement.
A portion of the Web site is dedicated to Crimestoppers. Information on wanted individuals and unsolved crime will be posted on the Web site. Citizens are able to send anonymous tips to Crimestoppers and may be eligible to receive a reward. Shaw said the Crimestoppers tips are anonymous and encourages community involvement to help law enforcement detect and fight crime.
Shaw also stated that the Web site will provide current information on appellate court decisions and the history of cases. Shaw believes the community has an absolute right to know the nature and history of criminal prosecutions and is dedicated to making information more accessible through the Web site.