Prosecutors deserve more than outdated assumptions and trial-and-error approaches to substance use cases. This curriculum was built to provide practical, science-based tools that strengthen your confidence, protect your well-being, and improve case outcomes—all while honoring your commitment to public safety and justice.

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This is not a generic training. It was developed through insights from prosecutors and staff, public health experts, and behavioral health professionals. SHIELD creates an opportunity for prosecutors and staff to discuss the stress and moral complexity of these cases—while gaining actionable strategies rooted in neuroscience, behavioral science, and the law.

 

Unlike off-the-shelf trainings, the SHIELD team customizes the curriculum to your office and personnel needs. By providing local information and resources, your staff will be able to immediately operationalize the SHIELD tools. 

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What You’ll Learn:

• The Science of Addiction: Understand substance use disorder as a chronic, treatable medical condition—not a moral failing.
   

• Evidence-Based Strategies: Explore proven approaches like medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and their impact on recidivism and community safety.
   

• Protecting Your Well-Being: Identify signs of burnout and moral injury, and learn practical methods for resilience in a high-stress role.
   

Why It Works:

• Research-Driven: Informed by years of doctoral research, interviews with legal professionals, and extensive pilot-testing and refinement.
   

• Practical and Relevant: Tailored to the unique challenges prosecutors face every day.
   

Impact Beyond the Training:

• Prosecutors leave with resources, strategies, and renewed confidence to make decisions that support justice and public health.

 

Format:

• 90-minute session

• Virtual or in-person

• CLE credits available