Professional Development

Do you inwardly brace yourself when a financial exploitation case hits your desk?  It’s okay to admit it. Often prosecutors and law enforcement care deeply about these vulnerable victims but are frustrated by the complex issues inherent in these cases, including:

1. The overlap between civil and criminal law;
2. Complicated financial analysis;
3. Reluctant or deceased victims;
4. Medical, psychological, or emotional issues;
5. Common defenses like consent and lack of intent; and
6. The different priorities of parties involved (APS, family members, providers…)

This year at Break the Silence we will address each one of these challenges head-on. Participants will learn from a medical provider, financial crime investigators, a civil attorney, prosecutors, and even receive training from the National White Collar Crime Center on an Excel tool that will make analyzing these cases easier.

Our goal is for you to leave this training equipped with the information and confidence to handle this unique caseload.

This course will provide an overview of how to prosecute impaired driving when the drug is not alcohol. As drug-impaired driving becomes more prevalent, this class will prepare you to investigate roadside and win in court.

As the juvenile court system keeps evolving, it’s crucial for law enforcement professionals and other allied professionals to stay up to date with the legal changes regarding juvenile matters. This one-day training session will mainly focus on juvenile procedures, investigations, the roles of School Resource Officers, “Raise the Age” information, and a juvenile law update. Additionally, community organizations will be present to provide law enforcement officers with information about the services they offer to juvenile offenders

The NC District Attorneys Association (NCDAA) meeting is a statewide training program devoted exclusively to prosecutors, and it is approved by the NC State Bar to provide 12 hours of continuing legal education credit, typically including 2 hours of Ethics and 1 hour each of Technology and Professional Wellbeing. NCDAA calls upon the collective skills of the State’s most experienced criminal law experts, guest speakers, top prosecutors, and others with the required depth of knowledge to provide a comprehensive continuing legal education program.

No matter what type of case they handle, prosecutors are likely to encounter defendants who have mental health issues. Whether District Court or Superior Court, incapable to proceed or insane, the intersection of the criminal court system and the mental health system is both incredibly important and extremely confusing. This one-day course will help prosecutors navigate the labyrinth of managing defendants who may be dealing with mental health issues.

This two-day training for prosecutors, law enforcement, and DA administrative professionals will cover basic and advanced issues regarding investigating and prosecuting domestic violence cases. Topics will include investigation best practices, trial advocacy topics, working with special victims, and a statutory and case law update.