Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy
Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy is a new criminal justice policy hub that will primarily focus on prosecution in the South.
Overview
The Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy (VPOPP) is a nonpartisan network of prosecutors, researchers, students, and other stakeholders dedicated to improving individual and collective outcomes in the criminal justice system. The Project supports communities that traditionally have been overlooked by national policy centers. Through trainings, research, conferences, and technical assistance, VPOPP engages criminal justice leaders, particularly prosecutors in the South, to develop and implement policies and programs that reduce unnecessary incarceration and promote public safety.
VPOPP is housed in Vanderbilt Law’s Criminal Justice Program and will be collaborating closely with highly experienced and respected Vanderbilt Law faculty members affiliated with the program.
VPOPP to Support Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office on New Diversion Effort
The Vanderbilt Project on Prosecution Policy has received a subaward to provide Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia with guidance on data collection for the launch of the Checks Over Stripes Data Collection Program (COS). The Augusta Judicial Circuit, Georgia District Attorney plans to use COS as a diversion initiative.
Recent Events
Defining the Role and Purpose of a Reform Prosecutor
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner visited Vanderbilt Law to discuss criminal justice reform and define the role of a Reform Prosecutor.
Rethinking Prosecution: Issues in Criminal Justice Policy
Alissa Marque Heydari discusses issues in criminal justice policy as a prosecutor and transition into policy work at Vanderbilt Law School.
VPOPP Connects Students with Prosecutors from Across the Country
Students networked with prosecutors from across the country and learned about different career paths within the prosecutorial profession.
Prosecution in the South: Challenges and Innovative Solutions
Prosecutors, advocates, and academics from southern judicial districts gathered at Vanderbilt, representing thought leaders from both sides of the aisle.
Publications
AI and Prosecution
AI and Prosecution is a collaboration between VPOPP and NYU Law's Policing Project. Based on a comprehensive literature review and interviews with prosecutors nationwide, this report catalogs current AI applications in prosecution, explores future uses, assesses benefits and risks, and offers recommendations for effective governance of the use of this powerful technology.
Putting Police Body-Worn Camera Footage to Work
This report summarizes findings from a civil liberties evaluation of Truleo, an AI-powered analytics platform designed to automate the review of police body-worn camera (BWC) footage. It includes a summary of how the platform works, policy choices made by the company, and our assessment from a civil liberties perspective.
Faculty Director
Alissa Heydari
Research Professor
Alissa Marque Heydari is an expert on criminal law, prosecution, and criminal justice policy. Prior to joining Vanderbilt Law School, she served as acting director of the Institute for Innovation in Prosecution (IIP) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. While at the IIP, Alissa launched its Beyond Big Cities program, which successfully engaged prosecutors from around the country in smaller, rural, and conservative jurisdictions.
Before running the IIP, Alissa was an Assistant District Attorney in New York County (DANY), where she handled hundreds of cases, including violent felonies and homicides. While at DANY she served as Acting Criminal Court Supervisor and was a member of the Sex Crimes Unit and Elder Abuse Unit.