THE SHARED PROSECUTION PROGRAM EMPLOYS TWO FULL-TIME PROSECUTORS TO SERVE FOUR RURAL COUNTIES AND ONE SEMIPOPULOUS COUNTY WITHIN IOWA'S FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT. PRIOR TO INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM, THE PART-TIME ELECTED PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS IN THE COUNTIES TYPICALLY ENLISTED THE SERVICES OF PRIVATE ATTORNEYS, WHO WERE PAID SPECIAL PROSECUTORS' FEES TO HANDLE CERTAIN FELONY TRIALS. THE SHARED PROSECUTION PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO REPLACE THIS PRACTICE, WHICH HAD PROVED INEFFECTIVE (PARTICULARLY IN THE RURAL COUNTIES, WHERE TRIAL EXPERTISE WAS LACKING) AND INEFFICIENT (DUE TO THE SUBSTANTIAL FEES COMMANDED BY LOCAL ATTORNEYS). THE SHARED PROSECUTION PROGRAM'S ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES ARE DESCRIBED, AND THE PROGRAM IS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF MANPOWER ALLOCATION, CASE DISPOSITION, CASE BACKLOGS, SPEEDY TRIALS, REPLICABILITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY. THE STRENGTHS OF THE PROGRAM ARE CONCLUDED TO BE THAT IT PROVIDES SPARSELY POPULATED RURAL COUNTIES WITH FULL-TIME TRIAL ATTORNEYS WHO CAN PROSECUTE CRIMINAL CASES AT THE REQUEST OF LOCALLY ELECTED PROSECUTORS, THAT THE SHARED PROSECUTOR SYSTEM OFFERS A COST SAVINGS OVER THE FEE SYSTEM, AND THAT THE PROGRAM HAS DEVELOPED GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COUNTY PROSECUTORS AND LOCAL POLICE. PROGRAM WEAKNESSES HAVE TO DO WITH THE LACK OF EVALUATION DATA, LIMITED REPLICABILITY, AND THE FACT THAT THE PROGRAM ACTUALLY HAS SUPPLEMENTED, RATHER THAN REPLACED, THE EXISTING SYSTEM. SUPPORTING DATA AND DOCUMENTATION ARE APPENDED. (LKM)