Benjamin Homes Mrs. Wright English III 7 November 2014 Criminal Law: A Deeper Look Criminal law goes beyond prosecuting or defending people accused of crimes; it protects the fundamental rights of all citizens. It is an intricate process with many different jobs and many different duties. A trial can change the course of a defendant’s life. Going to trial is a serious occurrence. Even if a defendant is acquitted, their reputation can be damaged, which can severely hurt business owners. By definition, criminal law is a group of laws that pertain to criminal acts. Unlike in civil cases, criminal cases involve the forfeiture of one’s rights, plus imprisonment. Criminal law cases pertain to the commission of a criminal act, and the charges that …show more content…
The prosecutor’s job is to ensure a conviction of the defendant, although the prosecutor should be focused more on administering justice, and not just achieving a conviction. The prosecutor should also seek to reform laws and the function of our justice system where needed (The American Bar Association). Professional skills must be highly developed in order to be a successful prosecutor. It is also preferable that the chief prosecutor and other staff at the prosecutor’s office be full-time employees. Professionalism should be of utmost concern among prosecutors and those alike (The American Bar Association). Occasionally, special assistants are required to assist the prosecutor in his or her job. Funds for said assistants should be provided by the prosecutor’s superiors (The American Bar Association). Ultimately, responsibility for prosecution comes down to the state. Ideally, the number of prosecutors in a jurisdiction should be based on the jurisdiction’s population and amount of cases that need a prosecutor, also known as caseload (The American Bar Association). In very specific situations, which are dictated by geographical and population factors, it can be required that the state attorney general serve simultaneously as chief prosecutor, and the other prosecutors are deputies (The American Bar …show more content…
The first of the two is known as “mens rea”, the mental state that the offender must possess while breaking the law. For example, it is crucial that during a murder, the murderer is intending to commit the act (Schubert). For those looking to enter the law field, positions in the field of law are highly contested, as more students graduate from law school than there are positions open. Many students fresh out of law school have been forced to turn in the direction of temporary staffing forms, where students fresh out of school are put in short term jobs