Programs & Initiatives

We believe that persistent public safety problems sometimes need to be addressed with new and innovative approaches. The office continually scrutinizes, consults on, and evaluates its policies, strategies, and programs in an effort to ensure the office does everything within its jurisdiction — or partners with appropriate entities — to protect our community.

This process of study and improvement has led to the implementation of several dozen programs and initiatives across Northeast Florida. We invite you to explore our work.

Partnerships to Combat Violent Crime

To better protect the community, the State Attorney’s Office regularly partners with law enforcement at the county, state, and federal level to combat violent crime.

Synergistic federal minimum mandatory sentences for armed career criminals, collaboration through Jacksonville's Crime Gun Intelligence Center, and the use of lead-generating technology such as the Integrated Ballistics Identification System are a few of the strategies used to immobilize the most violent actors in our community.

Read more about our strategies to combat violent crime here.

Reforming Juvenile Civil Citations

The use — and non-use — of civil citations for juveniles was an issue that had garnered significant community interest.

State Attorney Melissa Nelson revamped the juvenile civil citation process by working with Fourth Circuit law enforcement partners and court officials as well as the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

The result is a simpler process that removes the State Attorney’s Office from the administrative pipeline. The change restored discretion of issuing citations with the group that deserves it: the law enforcement officials who interact with juvenile offenders on the front line.

Expanded use of civil citations for qualified juvenile offenders has increased since the change — a solution that offers them an alternative to entering the criminal justice system and saves taxpayer dollars. Read more here.

A Focus on Human Rights

Florida’s geography and population unfortunately lend to human trafficking and elder abuse — crimes that only continue to increase despite law enforcement’s best efforts. The SAO4 seeks to directly counter that increase with the creation of the Human Rights Division.

A first in Florida, this division is staffed with talented, dedicated attorneys and investigators who concentrate on these difficult cases that victimize our community’s most vulnerable. Additionally, this division reviews hate crimes and officer excessive force cases — two rare offenses that require dedicated attention. Learn more here.

Community Engagement

In January 2017, State Attorney Melissa Nelson created an Attorney and Community Development Division for the office with a focus on strengthening relationships both inside and outside the office.

Conviction Integrity Review

It is a priority of the State Attorney's Office to maintain public trust and confidence while seeking justice for the citizens who live within the Fourth Judicial Circuit.

Focus on Fentanyl

Human Rights Division

The Office of the State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit seeks to directly counter that increase with the creation of a Human Rights Division within its Special Prosecution Unit.

Smart Justice

Learn more about Smart Justice at the SAO4.

Speaker's Bureau

Violent Crime

Careers

Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)

The National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, also known as SAKI, facilitates resolutions for past crimes in cold cases when sexual assault kits provide new evidence. Since 2015, the SAO4 has received several federal grants supporting the initiation and continuation of a SAKI program that not only allowed for DNA testing of all unsubmitted kits, but the resources to investigate and prosecute SAKI cases. Learn more about SAKI here.

Elder Abuse Fatality Review Team (EAFRT)

Created in 2020, the Elder Abuse Fatality Review Team (EAFRT) is a local team that regularly reviews closed elder abuse cases that resulted in an individual’s death found to have been caused by, or related to, abuse or neglect. The team reviews cases in Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties and considers case facts that led to the fatal incident. The EAFRT’s goal is to identify potential gaps or problems and develop approaches to address causes of death. Learn more about the EAFRT here.

Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC)

The Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (JJAC) was established by State Attorney Melissa Nelson in 2017 to bring together passionate youth and justice advocates to develop juvenile programming that would reduce crime and recidivism rates in the Fourth Judicial Circuit. The diverse 23-member committee spent a year and a half conducting a comprehensive review of programming and national best practices and issued its recommendations and findings to Nelson in a final report in May 2019. Learn more about the JJAC here.