BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — Texas counties struggle to retain prosecutors as many leave for private sector
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Prosecutors across Texas are leaving public service for private sector jobs at alarming rates, creating a staffing crisis that threatens public safety in communities statewide.
"We've experienced in Brazos County, some pretty significant turnover over the last several years," said Shane Phelps, an attorney and former prosecutor.
To combat this exodus, state lawmakers created the SB22 grant program to help counties increase salaries for prosecutors, investigators and other staff members. The initiative aims to make public service more financially competitive with private practice.
Brazos County District Attorney Jarvis Parsons emphasized the unique mission that draws people to prosecution work despite the challenges.
"I remember the intern chief, uh, she was a prosecutor, a career prosecutor. She said that prosecution is the one job where your only goal for that day is to do the right thing," Parsons said.
The demanding nature of prosecution work contributes significantly to the high turnover rates plaguing district attorney offices across the state.
"I think a lot of it has to do with the kind of frenetic pace of being a prosecutor, and it is not uncommon for prosecutors to finish a trial on Thursday or Friday and have to be ready on Monday morning," Phelps said.
The staffing shortage creates a dangerous cycle that compromises public safety, according to Parsons.
"And as a result, in Texas specifically and nationwide, people have been leaving prosecutor offices to go do something different, and that makes the cities and the counties less safe," Parsons said.
Brazos County exemplifies this statewide problem, with inexperienced attorneys often thrust into courtrooms with minimal preparation time.
"One of the things we're seeing in Brazos County is that we have a lot of brand new lawyers, you know, people who are actually starting and then being sworn in by the judge they're in front of that morning," Phelps said.
The hope is that the county maintains the salary increases even if it doesn't receive the SB22 grant funding next year, recognizing that competitive compensation is essential for retaining experienced prosecutors and ensuring public safety.
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