The Shasta County District Attorney's office is overwhelmed by heavy workloads and high vacancy rates among prosecutors, which are leading to significant strain on staff. District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett emphasizes that the office operates under demanding conditions similar to larger counties but lacks sufficient resources. Prosecutors like Brian Ziegler and Ben Rothbaum express challenges related to long hours and low salaries, making it difficult to retain and recruit talent. Bridgett stresses that without increased funding, it will be hard to remain effective in tackling crime.
"I leave anywhere between 7 and 7:30 in the morning, and even on non-trial days, I get home at 6:30, 7 o'clock at night. So it's about a 12-hour day for me."
"We can't solve this until we have more resources," she said. As vacancies pile up, Bridgett says Shasta County needs to pay more to attract prosecutors who would otherwise choose higher-paying jobs in California's urban counties.
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