From Police Investigation to Formal Charge
The Hinds County District Attorney’s Office prosecutes all felony cases in the Seventh Circuit Court District which comprises Hinds County. The district includes Jackson, Mississippi’s Capital and Seat of Government, Bolton, Byram, Clinton, Edwards, Learned, Raymond, Terry, and Utica, as well as other unincorporated communities.
The criminal justice process begins with a police investigation. When law enforcement officers complete an investigation, the case is submitted to the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office for presentation to the Hinds County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury is charged with either indicting the individual for the crime charged or returning a “no-bill.” An indictment is the formal charging instrument that charges the individual with the crime and is the first step in the prosecutorial process. In 2023, the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office presented 1,981 cases to the Hinds County Grand Jury encompassing a total of 3,201 felony counts. The grand jury returned 1,696 indictments, which totaled 2,840 felony counts. The number of felony counts indicted in 2023 represents a 35% increase over 2022; likewise, 2023 saw a 33% increase in the number of individuals indicted. The following graph provides a year-over-year comparison.
In 2023, the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office presented 1,981 cases to the Hinds County Grand Jury encompassing a total of 3,201 felony counts. The grand jury returned 1,696 indictments, which totaled 2,840 felony counts. The number of felony counts indicted in 2023 represents a 35% increase over 2022; likewise, 2023 saw a 33% increase in the number of individuals indicted. The following graph provides a year-over-year comparison.
Law Enforcement Agencies
The Hinds County District Attorney’s Office prosecutes cases submitted by law enforcement agencies from across Hinds County. In addition to the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department and the police departments serving Jackson, Raymond, Utica, Byram, Clinton, Terry, Edwards, Bolton, and Learned, cases are also presented by Mississippi Capitol Police, the Office of the State Auditor, Department of Revenue, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Department of Insurance, Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Jackson State University. The following chart contains the total number of felony counts presented, counts indicted, cases indicted, and counts no-billed for each law enforcement agency.
By the Numbers
