A prosecutor is a government official who is responsible for bringing defendants in criminal cases to justice in the name of the state. The prosecutors role varies depending on the jurisdiction, but generally, they are in charge of all phases of a criminal proceeding, from investigation by the police through trial and beyond to all levels of appeal. Some of the duties of a prosecutor include:

• Investigation: In some countries, the prosecutor takes charge of the investigation once a crime has been committed. In the United States and Russia, the prosecutor is largely responsible for the police investigation, in which they must assure that the guaranteed rights of the accused are protected.

• Presenting cases at criminal trials: Prosecutors present evidence at a hearing before a grand jury, which may or may not return an indictment for trial. Trials usually take place in a court of law in front of a judge and/or jurors.

• Defending the state in civil actions: Many prosecutors also defend the state in civil actions.

• Assisting local prosecutors: Under Texas law, the county or district attorney has primary jurisdiction to prosecute most criminal offenses. The Office of the Attorney General assists local prosecutors at their request.

• Concurrent jurisdiction: Chapter 1, section 1.09, of the Penal Code provides that, “with the consent of the appropriate local county or district attorney, the Attorney General has concurrent jurisdiction with that consenting local prosecutor” to prosecute certain offenses.

Prosecutors are supposed to be the peoples lawyer and fight for the safety of the people in the community they represent. However, they also have enormous power without accountability, and in some cases, they have played a central role in the aggressive expansion of the criminal legal system.