NCJ Number
156747
Journal
Criminal Justice Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1992) Pages: 3-9,48-49
Date Published
1992
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article argues that the primary goal of the prosecutor should be to reduce criminal activity.
Abstract
Having a role in the reduction of crime should be viewed as a central function and not merely an incidental result of being a case-processor who administers an office to produce the greatest number of just convictions. There are a number of reasons why prosecutors may be the best suited to assume the leadership or coordinating role in crime control. Many of the potential remedies for entrenched crime involve litigation, legislation, or regulation, which require legal expertise and the authority to use it appropriately. All prosecutors are practicing criminal attorneys, and most are explicitly vested with civil responsibilities. Furthermore, much of the data essential to the analytic effort may be available only to the prosecutor; for example, the prosecutor is, by legislative mandate, the applicant for electronic surveillance and counsel to the grand jury. The prosecutor is generally responsible for the maintenance and disclosure of the information obtained by these intrusive means of investigation. Moreover, prosecutorial discretion and plea bargaining often enable the prosecutor to obtain information from knowledgeable defendants who are willing to cooperate in exchange for leniency. Included in this article are descriptions of the variety of civil and criminal remedies that can help to control and eradicate illegal behavior. The author also presents a methodology by which these remedies may be used effectively by prosecutors.