FROM: Amy Cornell, Public Information Officer   CONTACT PERSON: Amy Cornell, Public Information Officer (408) 792-2997   For release on May 28, 2008    DISTRICT ATTORNEY NAMES LISA MCCRARY OMBUDSMAN OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE   District Attorney Dolores A. Carr has announced that she has appointed Lisa McCrary as the Ombudsman of the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. As Ombudsman, Ms. McCrary responds to questions, concerns, and complaints of members of the public concerning the District Attorney’s Office. She also assists in directing inquiries to other agencies and departments.   In making this appointment, District Attorney Carr stated “this appointment is an important part of my commitment to increasing our residents’ access to justice.  In addition to helping people navigate our complex criminal justice system, the Ombudsman will communicate meritorious complaints directly to my senior management so that we can respond appropriately.  I believe that providing this avenue of communication will help this office be even more responsive to the needs of our community.”   Ms. McCrary has worked for the District Attorney’s Office for the last 24 years; she was the first paralegal hired in the office. She currently responds to hundreds of phone inquiries, maintains the office website, processes thousands of requests for information, and works closely with members of the District Attorney’s Office staff. In addition to working on special projects for the office, Ms. McCrary has provided paralegal services to units such as Consumer Fraud, Narcotics, Misdemeanors, and Domestic Violence. She has helped thousands of victims of crime, and works closely with many different community agencies.   ###