One Prosecutor’s Thoughts on Laws, Partnerships, and Case Management
O
Anne Marie Schubert
rganized retail crime (ORC) is a pervasive problem that requires experienced investigators, effective communications, strong public‑private partnerships, and diligent investigations with meticulous attention to detail to build and execute an effective case. However, managing the investigation doesn’t end when warrants are served, and arrests are made. The same commitment to excellence must be achieved—and communicated at—every step of the process. From the prosecutor’s perspective, the investigation must tell a story. Every action and process must be properly executed. All facts and details must be correctly documented. Information must be appropriately communicated. All the possibilities must be considered, and every box checked in the eyes of the judge and jury to bring the case to a successful conclusion
ORC Special Edition 2022
with the prosecution and conviction of the perpetrators. This simply cannot happen without the cooperation and support of exceptional prosecutors. Understanding this aspect of the ORC investigation and what our prosecutors are looking for as the case comes to fruition is vital to the success of the investigation. To gain more perspective, LP Magazine recently sat down with one of the best in the business. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert is a career prosecutor with thirty-one years of law enforcement experience. As a Sacramento County prosecutor, she spent most of her career prosecuting some of the area’s most notorious and dangerous criminals. She is nationally recognized in her knowledge of forensic DNA, training and assisting other law enforcement agencies across the country in the use of DNA and Investigative Genetic Genealogy
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(IGG) to solve violent crime. During her career as a prosecutor, Schubert has been recognized by her peers with the Prosecutor of the Year Award and the POST ICI Instructor of the Year Award. Since taking office, she has been committed to working both in the courtroom and in the community to provide the highest level of public safety through prosecution, prevention, and innovation.
Based on your experience, how do you feel ORC activity has impacted your community? As a citizen, it’s demoralizing to watch individuals steal from retailers and walk out as store associates or security personnel watch as they exit. We’ve grown accustomed to terms like “hands-off policy,” and it is difficult for many to understand. However, our frustration as prosecutors is not aimed at the retailers, but the
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Prosecuting ORC Cases
