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In an alarming development, Waukesha County's new District Attorney, Lesli Boese, has raised a warning about the dire staffing situation her office faces, emphasizing the pressing need for increased state funding. With felony cases surging by 20% over the past decade and trials more than doubling, the current team of 16 prosecutors is increasingly overwhelmed. Despite the substantial increase in workload, the number of prosecutors remains unchanged since 1999.
According to Boese, an analysis by the Wisconsin Department of Administration indicates that Waukesha County should have 26 prosecutors to effectively manage its caseload, over a third more than the current reality. This significant void threatens the prosecution of various crimes—from complex white-collar offenses to violent crimes like armed robbery and homicide—posing a potential risk to community safety.
The DA's concern is that if additional resources are not provided by Governor Tony Evers and the state legislature, cases may remain unprosecuted, sending a harmful message both to the victims and to offenders who might feel emboldened by the lack of legal consequences. Boese is proactively reaching out to state leaders to highlight what she describes as a "crisis" to secure the necessary support for her office.
For the full story and more insights into the challenges facing Waukesha County, visit the original article at [WISN 12 News](Source).
Waukesha County's DA Warns of Legal Crisis Amid Prosecutor Shortage
In an alarming development, Waukesha County's new District Attorney, Lesli Boese, has raised a warning about the dire staffing situation her office faces, emphasizing the pressing need for increased state funding. With felony cases surging by 20% over the past decade and trials more than doubling, the current team of 16 prosecutors is increasingly overwhelmed. Despite the substantial increase in workload, the number of prosecutors remains unchanged since 1999.
According to Boese, an analysis by the Wisconsin Department of Administration indicates that Waukesha County should have 26 prosecutors to effectively manage its caseload, over a third more than the current reality. This significant void threatens the prosecution of various crimes—from complex white-collar offenses to violent crimes like armed robbery and homicide—posing a potential risk to community safety.
The DA's concern is that if additional resources are not provided by Governor Tony Evers and the state legislature, cases may remain unprosecuted, sending a harmful message both to the victims and to offenders who might feel emboldened by the lack of legal consequences. Boese is proactively reaching out to state leaders to highlight what she describes as a "crisis" to secure the necessary support for her office.
For the full story and more insights into the challenges facing Waukesha County, visit the original article at [WISN 12 News](Source).