WCA Commends Legislature for Proposal to Provide Additional ADA Positions

New Resources Proposed to Address Staffing Shortages and Backlogged Cases

The Wisconsin Counties Association is commending the Legislature for a State Assembly proposal funding additional assistant district attorney (ADA) positions in 40 counties.  

“This proposal will help address staffing shortages that counties have seen around the state,” said WCA Executive Director Mark D. O’Connell.  “Increasing caseloads and not enough staff has resulted in tremendous backlogs of cases in our state. Heroin and opioid-related offenses have had a staggering impact on law enforcement and our courts.”

He continued, “Counties need the tools and resources to properly prosecute crime and keep our communities safe and this is a step in the right direction.”

The proposal would fund 53.75 ADA positions in counties where the district attorney offices requested positions and were below 79 percent of staff, according to the most recent Legislative Audit Bureau workload analysis study from 2014.

The estimated total cost is $3.9 million in 2019-20 and $4.2 million in 2020-21.  The positions would begin July 1, 2019.

“ADAs throughout the state are working long hours and have a tremendous amount of cases before them,” said O’Connell.  “This proposal will provide much needed relief to counties and hopefully decrease workloads and turnover, ultimately keeping our streets safer.”