Operation Hardcore (Los Angeles, CA)
Axios
Policing
Problems addressed
Recidivism
Implication in violent groups
Effectiveness

Promising

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Promising

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Life periods served
People of all ages
Where the program was applied
Courts of justice
Country of application
United States
Description

Operation Hardcore prosecutors choose their cases based on criteria that help identify individuals who are repeat offenders of serious violent crimes.
Each prosecutor follows a small number of cases on an ongoing basis and receives additional support from the police and other agencies. These factors contribute to improve witness tracking and early preparation of each case, restricting any pretrial agreements.

Impact evaluations

Two impact evaluations showed that the program was responsible for an increase in conviction and incarceration rates, as well as a decrease in rejected and lost cases. The studies did not identify the impact on appeal [1] [2].
The first study used the time series method, comparing three groups: pre-Hardcore – adults prosecuted between 1976 and 1978, before the program was implemented; post-Hardcore – adults prosecuted between 1979 and 1980 by prosecutors who were not active in the program; and Treatment Group – adults prosecuted by Operation Hardcore prosecutors [1].
The second study analyzed primary data from Dahmann’s research and secondary data issued by the Prosecutor’s Office on the effectiveness of the Gang Investigation Unit [2].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Dahmann, J. S. (1983). Prosecutorial response to violent gang criminality: An evaluation of operation hardcore. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

[2] Pyrooz, D. C., Wolfe, S. E., & Spohn, C. (2011). Gang-related homicide charging decisions: The implementation of a specialized prosecution unit in Los Angeles. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 22(1), 3-26.

Information source