Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory Council

***“Empowering prosecutors through training and advocacy to serve as Ministers of Justice,*** ***as we strive to build criminal justice bridges with the greater community.”*** **\- APAAC Mission Statement** APAAC began as the Arizona County Attorneys' Association which was created in 1973. The **Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory Council** (APAAC) was then created by the Arizona Legislature in 1977. Although APAAC provides a variety of services to prosecutors, the primary mission of APAAC is to coordinate and provide training and education to prosecutors throughout Arizona. APAAC currently serves approximately 885 full-time state, county, and municipal prosecutors. The Council is composed of twenty-six (26) members, including the Attorney General, the fifteen (15) elected County Attorneys, seven (7) municipal prosecutors, a municipal prosecutor appointed by the Governor, a representative of the Arizona Supreme Court, and the dean of one of the state's law schools.** **Funding and Operation**** The Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys' Advisory Council receives no state general fund revenues, and depends on a continuing appropriation through the Criminal Justice Enhancement Fund (CJEF) as its primary source of funding. The Criminal Justice Enhancement Fund is derived from the surcharge on criminal and civil fines. This revenue source allows the "users" of the criminal justice system, rather than the taxpayer, to fund the necessary training and education of public prosecutors. Effective September 24, 2022, the legislative formula provides for APAAC to receive 5.18% of the Criminal Justice Enhancement Fund. As noted above, the primary mission of APAAC is to provide education and training to prosecutors, although APAAC through its members, committees, and staff provide a variety of other services to prosecutors that include: - Providing legal research to prosecutors' offices on a daily basis - Providing a clearing house of relevant national and local information for Arizona prosecutors - Providing assistance to prosecutors' offices in the preparation of trial briefs, forms and instructions - Preparing positions on and comments to proposed rule changes from the Arizona Supreme Court - Conducting research of interest and value to prosecuting attorneys and their staff - Coordinating *amicus* briefs to the state appellate courts on issues of statewide concern - Maintaining liaison contact with agencies of all branches of government, including the state legislature