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Essex County prosecutor says homicides steady as caseload rises, urges careful planning for grant uncertainty
Summary
At the Essex County budget hearing, the county prosecutor reported a flat homicide count (~58–59), rising case starts and progress clearing backlogs, while warning that temporary federal pauses on grants could pressure county services. He highlighted staffing gains and internship pipelines to recruit prosecutors.
Essex County Prosecutor Stevens told the Board of Commissioners that homicides remained roughly flat year‑over‑year at about "58 or 59," even as the office handled a higher overall caseload and worked to reduce backlogs.
"The homicide number has remained flat from last year to this year, essentially," Prosecutor Stevens said, noting the office started roughly 13,729 cases in 2024 compared with about 12,158 in 2023 and disposed more than 14,650 cases last year. "Our numbers are fairly predictable as things go, but I'd like to give just an overview in terms of where the county's money is going in terms of what the office has done in the past year." (Prosecutor Stevens)
Why it matters: rising case starts paired…
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