Upon taking office in 1999, District Attorney Tony Rackauckas set out to increase communication between the District Attorney's Office and Orange County's diverse community. Mr. Rackauckas recognized that many ethnic communities have difficulty understanding the criminal justice system because of language and cultural barriers.
In an effort to facilitate an exchange of information, Hispanic, Vietnamese, and Korean American Advisory Commissions were established. They composed of public officials, law enforcement, religious leaders, business owners and community leaders. These three Advisory Commissions provide assistance and direction in identifying key barriers to resident participation in and cooperation with the various arms of the criminal justice system and developing culturally responsive solutions to address those problems.
With the expertise and assistance of our Advisory Commissions, the Orange County District Attorney's Office has developed innovative and dynamic ways of reaching our communities, which include:
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multi-lingual resource booklets on how to access the criminal justice system;
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multi-lingual media campaigns on crime prevention topics;
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criminal justice workshops and presentations;
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town hall meetings; and
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mock trials.
