Organized Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Grant Program

Background

The Budget Act of 2022 (Assembly Bill 178) established the Organized Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Grant Program. A competitive grant program shall be avilable for district attorneys for the purpose of addressing increased levels of retail theft property crimes by using a vertical prosecution model. Per the Budget Act, a county receiving the grant shall:

  • Employ a vertical prosecution methodology for organized retail theft crimes.
  • Dedicate at least one deputy district attorney and one district attorney investigator whose primary role is the investigation and prosecution of organized retail theft crimes.
  • Provide the Board of State and Community Corrections with annual data on the number of organized retail theft cases filed by that county, the number of organized retail theft convictions obtained, and the sentences imposed for those convicted of organized retail theft in that county.

Additional reporting requirements may be viewed in the Budget Act.

Request for Proposal - Under Development

The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) is seeking members to serve on a combined Executive Steering Committee (ESC) that will help develop the Organized Retail Theft Grant Program and the Organized Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Grant Program. Statements of Interest for this combined ESC will be taken until a full membership has been reached. Individuals interested in learning more about the ESC process or submitting a Statement of Interest are encouraged to visit the BSCC Executive Steering Committee page here.

The BSCC anticipates releasing a combined Organized Retail Theft and Vertical Prosecution Grant Program Request for Proposal (RFP) in 2023. For the latest information on RFP releases, consider subscribing to the BSCC ListServ here.

Please direct your questions, concerns, or comments about the Organized Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Grant Program to ort@bscc.ca.govcreate new email. A staff member will review your request and follow-up as needed.