District Attorney: Cuts cost crime-fighting

District Attorney: Cuts cost crime-fighting

By Dave Wedge | Wednesday, September 29, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Coverage

Photo by Angela Rowlings

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley said plummeting budgets have led to crippling crime-fighting cuts, including layoffs to community liaisons instrumental in helping prevent violence such as yesterday’s Mattapan slayings.
“Our challenge is to try and stay ahead of this stuff as best we can,” said Conley. “Year after year, this Legislature, this governor, has cut law enforcement budgets and prevention efforts. This has taken a successive toll on what’s going on in this city. As our resources shrink, we’re forced to scale back our efforts. I understand these are difficult times but these are core functions of government.”
An aide to Gov. Deval Patrick declined to comment but highlighted several anti-violence initiatives pushed by the governor, including advocating for tighter gun laws, funding summer job programs and providing grant money to community-based programs. Patrick also used $6 million in federal stimulus money to keep cops on the streets, the aide noted.
But Conley said his office, which has seen its budget slashed by nearly $1.5 million since 2009, has had to cut crucial outreach programs and is scrambling to keep up with increasing caseloads.
“There’s no denying that homicides and shootings are up this year,” Conley said. “It indicates there’s a cohort of intensely violent individuals. They are priority No. 1 - infiltrating these groups, identifying them and targeting them for prosecution.”
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