Prosecutors

Abstract

Abstract The prosecutor represents the government in all criminal prosecutions. It is the only office in the criminal justice system that has the power and discretion to begin a criminal prosecution. Prosecutors are ethically obliged, as officers of the court, to ensure the defendant receives due process according to the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. They evaluate and screen cases to determine whether or not to prosecute; thus, they have wide discretion in the criminal justice system.