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District Attorney Reports 40% Drop in Felony Backlog After High-Risk Intake Effort
Summary
The District Attorney reported a drop in the felony backlog from about 6,330 to 3,851 cases following a high-risk intake and backlog-reduction program; the office urged sustained resources and competitive pay to retain prosecutors.
District Attorney Joe Gonzales told the Commissioners Court the office has reduced its felony backlog by roughly 40% through a focused backlog-reduction program that used existing funds and extra prosecutor effort.
Gonzales reported the backlog numbers to the court: "As of last night... we now have a decrease of 6,330 cases down to 3,851," he said, calling the work a "huge progress." He said the program has required prosecutors working additional hours, and that the office has used more than two-thirds of the budget-neutral funds previously authorized by the court.
Commissioners pressed for clarity on definitions and classification criteria used to count backlog and asked for additional data points such as average time to disposition and long-tail outliers. The DA's office acknowledged the drop but noted a steady flow of new cases and said the backlog-reduction effort is a temporary but effective measure that requires continued investment in staff and competitive compensation to be sustainable.
