Greater Kendall Business Association
Fighting Crime with Innovation
Learn what are the crime issues today and how Katherine Fernandez Rudle and her staff tackle them.
Katherine Fernandez Rundle is Florida’s first female Cuban American State Attorney and a nationally recognized pioneer in Smart Justice. During her tenure, crime in her jurisdiction has dropped by more than 75%, reaching the lowest rate in 30 years.
She emphasizes a community- and victim-centered approach, creating numerous specialized units to support victims, prosecute violent crimes, and protect vulnerable populations. Key initiatives include:
- Gang Strike Force (1997): Joint effort with police agencies to target dangerous gangs.
- Gun Violence Initiative (2016, expanded in 2019): Focused on reducing shootings in high-risk neighborhoods.
- Human Trafficking Task Force: Multi-agency fight against child sex trafficking with services for victims.
- Child Support Enforcement: Only Florida State Attorney with this duty, collecting over $1.7 billion in the past decade.
She has also led responses to emerging community challenges:
- Protecting the elderly and vulnerable adults from crime.
- Addressing condo and homeowners’ association fraud through legislation and prosecution.
- Supporting victims and advocating reforms after the Champlain Towers collapse (2021).
On crime prevention, she champions diversion programs such as the nation’s first Drug Court (1989), civil citations, and the Second Chance Program for record sealing and expungement. These programs reduce recidivism and save taxpayer dollars.
Her achievements have earned her numerous awards, including induction into Florida’s Women’s Hall of Fame. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and law degrees from the University of Cambridge, England.
