Progressive prosecution in context: Examining the impact of prosecutorial administration change on case‐processing patterns and racial disparities

Abstract Research Summary Using administrative case‐processing records and interviews with prosecutors, we examine how a change in prosecutorial administration impacts charging and plea‐bargaining practices and racial and ethnic disparities in two jurisdictions led by progressive prosecutors who replaced more traditional administrations. We find that, under the progressive administrations, prosecutors handled cases in ways that resulted in less severe charging and plea‐bargaining outcomes for White, Black, and Hispanic defendants, but the magnitudes of those changes differed notably between the two offices. Drawing on qualitative interviews with line prosecutors, supervising prosecutors, and lead prosecutors, we consider how differences in organizational context, leadership style, and the role of supervisors in translating reform priorities might explain this variation. Together, the findings illustrate how progressive prosecution unfolds in highly localized ways and how organizational dynamics shape the implementation of reform. Policy Implications Prosecutors have the power to shift established charging and plea‐bargaining norms, but the extent of change depends on organizational context. Office size, leadership style, and the alignment of supervisors with reform priorities shape how effectively reform is implemented. Although the progressive administrations tended to reduce the severity of punishment across racial and ethnic groups, prosecutors inherit racial and ethnic disparities in caseloads due, in part, to structural racial inequality. Thus, “race‐neutral” reforms may be insufficient to meaningfully address inequality. Progressive prosecutors seeking to promote racial justice may need to pair general reductions in punitiveness with more proactive, race‐conscious strategies to correct for injustices they inherit in their caseload and monitor how reform priorities are being communicated and implemented within their office.