Citizens Academy
District Attorney’s Office Citizens Academy
The 2024 Class of the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Citizen Academy began October 1 and is ongoing. Applications for the 2025 Class will open next year.
The Gwinnett County District Attorney's Citizen Academy is designed to help create a better understanding of the criminal justice system. The academy is a nine-week program that will immerse people in the judicial process. The session will bring the community together with law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges as the local criminal justice system is far more complex and diverse than most people know. With the Citizens Academy, we can show people not only the role of the District Attorney’s Office but also open the process to them, helping to create a more informed and enlightened community.
Sessions will be held every Tuesday in Conference Room C located in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center from Tuesday, October 1, to Tuesday, December 3, from 6:00pm – 8:30pm.
The academy will meet on the following dates:
- October 1, 2024
- October 8, 2024
- October 15, 2024
- October 22, 2024
- October 29, 2024
- November 5, 2024
- November 12, 2024
- November 19, 2024
- December 3, 2024
- December 10, 2024 - Graduation
Applications for the District Attorney’s Citizens Academy will be accepted through Friday, September 13. Candidates must complete an application, after which eligibility will be verified.
For questions about the application process or additional information, please contact Terrell Patrick, Director of Community Outreach and Partnerships, at Terrell.Patrick@GwinnettCounty.com or contact the District Attorney's Office at 770.822.7383.
Eligibility
Residents interested in participating in the academy must meet the following criteria:
- Must be 18 years or older and be a resident and/or business owner in Gwinnett, or attend a Gwinnett college or university.
- Have an interest in learning about the criminal justice system.
- Attend all sessions (Maximum of two excused absences with make-up during the next session).
- Participants are required to attend Graduation.
- Participants can't have a criminal record.
Graduation Requirements
To get the most optimal experience from the District Attorney’s Office Citizens Academy, participants are expected to attend all sessions. Participants may only miss two sessions to graduate from the program. The Orientation and Graduation are required.
