Besides trying to prove the defendant guilty, what is the job of a prosecuting attorney?

BRY2K

Prosecutors occupy a unique position in the criminal justice system in that they exercise a considerable amount of discretion. From the initial arrest to the final disposition, prosecutors determine which defendants are prosecuted, the type of plea bargains that are struck, and the severity of sentences imposed. Before a case comes to trial, prosecutors may decide to accept a plea bargain, divert suspects to a social services agency for an alternative to incarceration program, or dismiss the case entirely for lack of evidence. Attorney General and Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson believed that the prosecutor has "more control over life, liberty and reputation than any other person in America". This broad discretion occasionally can lead to abuse, such as when a prosecuting attorney decides not to prosecute a friend or to overzealously prosecute an enemy. But such behavior is not the norm. http://law.jrank.org/pages/615/Careers-in-Criminal-Justice-Law-prosecuting-attorney.html Nov 12 09, 8:09 PM

Baloo55th

It should be noted that the above applies to the justice system in the USA, and that the roles of prosecutors in other nations will differ. Nov 13 09, 5:04 AM