what is the main goal of a prosecuting attorney

by Charlotte Marks 8 min read

The primary mission of a Prosecuting Attorney is to enforce criminal laws and work for the victims of crime. This includes obtaining orders for restitution for the victim, informing the victim of court dates, and acting as an advocate for the victim at trial and sentencing.

What is the main function of the prosecuting attorney?

The Prosecuting Attorney . Criminal law is perhaps one of the most exciting areas of the law; cases move at a fast pace and involve interesting fact patterns. Being a prosecuting attorney requires not only a passion for advocacy but an understanding that your position requires you to seek the truth; prosecutors are

What are two responsibilities of a prosecuting attorney?

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY 1027 the prosecuting attorney as the man who enforces the laws against murder, rape, robbery, embezzlement, and similar offenses. They are discussed here to illustrate the broad range of activity which the duties of the prosecutor include. II. Jurisdiction.

What are three ethical obligations of a prosecuting attorney?

Oct 20, 2021 · Prosecuting attorneys begin a case by reviewing police reports and performing research. They may meet with witnesses or victims. They use their gathered information in court to present the case against the accused defendant. Prosecuting attorneys must follow cases through each stage of the judicial process and communicate with all involved parties.

What does a prosecuting lawyer do?

A prosecutors main goal is to win, in order to capitalize on their successes during prosecutor elections. Executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center says, “some prosecutors brag about their death penalty convictions as if they were notches on their guns”(Logan).

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What are prosecutors main goal?

The prosecutor should seek to protect the innocent and convict the guilty, consider the interests of victims and witnesses, and respect the constitutional and legal rights of all persons, including suspects and defendants.

What makes a good prosecutor?

Sensitivity, a good memory, and close attention to detail are also marks of good prosecutors. Above all, a reputation for fundamental fairness and honesty as well as credibility and trustworthiness must be nurtured. Prosecutors must be comfortable with the myriad of imperfections in the criminal justice system.

What exactly does a prosecutor do?

From investigating and charging crimes to handling post-conviction appeals and writs, the prosecutor's job is to do justice. Prosecutors are lawyers who investigate, charge, and prosecute (take to trial) people whom they think have committed a crime.Sep 24, 2021

What are the four roles of the prosecution?

What are the four distinct roles of prosecutors? Trial counsel for the police, house counsel for the police, representative of the court, and elected official.

Are prosecutors and lawyers the same thing?

As nouns the difference between attorney and prosecutor is that attorney is (us) a lawyer; one who advises or represents others in legal matters as a profession while prosecutor is a lawyer who decides whether to charge a person with a crime and tries to prove in court that the person is guilty.

How much does a prosecutor make?

Salary Ranges for Criminal Prosecutors The salaries of Criminal Prosecutors in the US range from $15,291 to $401,278 , with a median salary of $73,323 . The middle 57% of Criminal Prosecutors makes between $73,323 and $182,390, with the top 86% making $401,278.

Why is a prosecutor so powerful?

Prosecutors are the most powerful officials in the American criminal justice system. The decisions they make, particularly the charging and plea-bargaining decisions, control the operation of the system and often predetermine the outcome of criminal cases.

What does prosecuted mean?

Prosecute is generally found today in a legal context (“to bring legal action against for redress or punishment of a crime or violation of law”), although the word may also be used to mean “to follow to the end” or “to engage in.” If someone is prosecuted they are being tried in a court of law; if they are persecuted ...

What are the two main characteristics of the prosecutor's office?

Terms in this set (6) Discuss the two major characteristics of prosecutors in the United States. The role of the prosecutor involves broad discretion and decentralization.

What is an attorney called?

A lawyer (also called attorney, counsel, or counselor) is a licensed professional who advises and represents others in legal matters. Today's lawyer can be young or old, male or female.Sep 10, 2019

The Prosecutor’S Role During Investigations

  • Prosecutors do more than file charges based on police reports of crimes that have been committed. Often, they actively participate in the investigation of past or ongoing crimes, particularly in cases involving business fraud, public corruption, and organized crime (including drug rings). For example, they may design “sting” operations, ask for search warrants to obtain e…
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The Prosecutor’S Role in Charging Crimes

  • The prosecutor decides which crimes to charge. The most important check on this power is the requirement that the accusations be supported by “probable cause”—the legal standard that will spare a person from prosecution unless it’s more likely than not that a crime was committed and the defendant committed it. But even with this check, the prosecutor has considerable power to …
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Plea Bargaining

  • In most federal and state courts, prosecutors and defense counsel have a conversation at some point about “settling this matter.” In exchange for a guilty plea (sometimes to a specific crime), the prosecutor agrees to ask for a specific sentence (in some courts, the judge is part of the bargain, agreeing in advance to impose the agreed-upon sentence). The defendant avoids the risk of endi…
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The Prosecutor’S Role at Sentencing

  • While it’s the court’s role to impose a sentence, that sentence (a specific sentence or a range) is set by the offense that the defendant stands convicted of. Consequently, the judge will be constrained by the charges that the prosecutor has elected to bring against the defendant. Even if the defendant beats some of the charges or ends up convicted of lesser offenses, the court’s po…
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The Prosecutor’S Post-Conviction Role

  • Most defendants who are convicted of felonies appeal their convictions. They hire counsel or obtain counsel from the state; and the appellate division of the prosecutors’ offices handles the case for the government, arguing that the conviction and sentence should be upheld on appeal. Occasionally, defendants file writs of habeas corpus, in which they allege incompetence of their …
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What Restrains The Prosecutor’S Discretion?

  • Not much, but here’s a run-down of how abusive prosecutors can be brought to heel: 1. When prosecutors violate the Constitution. Courtesy of our system of checks and balances, the prosecution (a distinct arm of government from the courts) does not answer to a judge. Prosecutors do, however, answer to the state and federal constitutions, which makes them subj…
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Questions For Your Attorney

  1. I think the prosecutor has overcharged my case. How can we argue that in court? What do we have to prove?
  2. Does a prosecutor have to bring charges when the victim demands it? What if the victim objects to charges being filed—will this end the matter?
  3. I think the result in my case was unjust. How can we raise that on appeal?
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