New protocol for prosecutors won’t cut corners in grave cases: justice minister
EDMONTON — Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley says new guidelines to manage court files will not see serious, violent cases like murder or sexual assault sacrificed to save time and money.
“The triage protocol is quite clear: it’s never an instance of taking a plea deal just to save time. It has to be based on the fact that there is some sort of challenge in (a successful) prosecution,” Ganley said Wednesday.
Ganley was referring to a nine-page memo sent last week to prosecutors and released publicly by her office Wednesday.
The document titled “Prosecution Service Practice Protocol” gives prosecutors a road map on how to balance rising caseloads with funding and staffing constraints.