OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL - REPORT

• NCJ Number: 27
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1971
• Length: 580 pages
• Grant Number(s): NI-70-026; NI-69-005
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Assoc of Attorneys General
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF A TWO-YEAR STUDY OF THE POWERS, DUTIES, AND OPERATIONS OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL.

Abstract

THE MOST STRIKING CHARACTERISTIC TO EMERGE FROM A STUDY OF THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE FIFTY-FOUR JURISDICTIONS CONSIDERED IN THIS STUDY IS THE GREAT DIVERSITY OF ITS POWERS, DUTIES AND OPERATIONS. THIS VARIES FROM AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL OFFICE IN SOME JURISDICTIONS, EXERCISING BROAD AUTHORITY OVER STATE LEGAL SERVICES AND LOCAL PROSECUTIONS, TO A VERY WEAK ONE IN OTHERS, LACKING CONTROL OVER MOST OF THE STATE'S LEGAL STAFF OR OVER LOCAL PROSECUTIONS. ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF THIS STUDY ILLUSTRATES THIS DIVERSITY AND FLEXIBILITY. DESPITE THESE DIFFERENCES, ATTORNEYS GENERAL SHARE A COMMON CORE OF AUTHORITY AND ACTIVITIES. THESE DERIVE IN LARGE PART FROM THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE OFFICE AND ITS ROOTS IN THE COMMON LAW OF ENGLAND. THEY ALSO DERIVE FROM THE OFFICE'S UNUSUAL STATUS IN STATE GOVERNMENT, AS A PART OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THAT HAS STRONG TIES TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND JUDICIAL BRANCHES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)