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How to Become a Prosecutor | Education & Career Requirements

How to Become a Prosecutor

The general public places enormous trust in prosecutors to bring criminals to justice and give closure to victims. As stewards of the criminal justice system, these sworn civil servants are bound by an ethical code and must conduct themselves with a level of integrity that reflects the power and prestige of their position.

To become a prosecutor, you’ll have to turn your passion for the law into a masterful understanding of it. That means going to college, earning a law degree, passing the bar exam, and immersing yourself in the complex mechanisms of the American legal system.

What Is a Prosecutor?

Prosecutors are attorneys who represent local, state, or federal governments in criminal cases. As a criminal prosecutor, you’ll assess evidence, file charges, and prosecute accused criminals. You’ll present your case in court while squaring off against defense attorneys, who represent the interests of the accused. There are several types of prosecutors, with each handling different crimes at different levels of government.

U.S. Attorney/Assistant U.S. Attorney

Federal prosecutors are known as U.S. attorneys, and there are only 94 of them in the entire United States—one for each federal court district. For context on how rare and prestigious these positions are, keep in mind that there are 100 U.S. senators.

These powerful presidential appointees serve mainly as administrators who delegate most of the trial work to a team of nearly 2,000 assistant U.S. attorneys. They answer directly to America’s chief law enforcement officer, the U.S. attorney general, who serves as the head of the Department of Justice. They aggressively investigate and prosecute major violations of federal law, including public corruption, drug trafficking, and white-collar crime.

District Attorney

Informally known as D.A.s, district attorneys enforce laws and prosecute accused criminals at the state, county, and municipal levels. The top law enforcement officers in rural and urban areas are known respectively as county attorneys and city district attorneys. D.A.s prosecute the vast majority of America’s criminal cases, and they often have offices with separate divisions dedicated to misdemeanors, felonies, trials, and appeals.

Independent Counsels

Independent counsel investigations are rare, but they play an important role in preserving public trust in America’s institutions. Appointed by the attorney general under extraordinary circumstances, independent counsels investigate accusations of impropriety among high government officials, up to and including the president.

Special counsel inquiries can be long, drawn-out, complex, and frequently controversial affairs, but they reinforce and protect the principle that no one is above the law.

What Does a Prosecutor Do?

Prosecutors coordinate with law enforcement and review arrest reports to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to file a criminal complaint. If so, they compile and prepare that evidence to seek a plea bargain or pursue a conviction in court.

Preliminary Hearing

When a defendant pleads not guilty, a preliminary hearing is held to determine whether there is enough evidence to go to trial. Just like trials, prelims—as they’re often called—are generally held in open court for public viewing. Both the prosecution and the defense can present evidence and call witnesses to the stand. Unlike trials, however, a judge, not a jury, considers the evidence, and prelims are generally much shorter.

Prelims are governed by specific procedural rules. At the federal level, for example, prelims must take place within 14 days if the defendant is in custody or 21 days if the defendant is out on bail. Procedures vary at the state level. In some states, the prosecutor can secure an indictment through a grand jury without a prelim. In other states, they’re only held if the defense requests one. In others, prelims are reserved only for felony cases.

Prosecutors are empowered with what’s called “prosecutorial discretion,” which gives them significant leeway to consider factors like the details of the case and the defendant’s criminal history in deciding whether and what to charge. In some cases, they might file charges on all the crimes for which the defendant was arrested. In others, they might file reduced charges, or no charges at all.

Trying a Case in Court

If a case does go to trial, the spotlight is on the prosecutor. They have the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is indeed guilty of the charge or charges they’re pursuing. To do that prosecutors have to:

Prepare by interviewing witnesses, victims, law-enforcement personnel, and other interested parties.
Call witnesses and cross-examine any witnesses called by the defense.
Present and explain evidence, including photographs, weapons, phone or text transcripts, computer evidence, and biological evidence, such as DNA.
Call upon experts to provide insight into evidence that’s technical or scientific.
File motions and other court documents.
Challenge the defense’s presentation of its case.

Prosecutor Salary and Career Outlook

Prosecutor salaries vary depending on location and career level. According to PayScale data from October 2019, the average state district attorney earns $75,132 a year. Assistant U.S. attorneys are paid according to a seven-tier system based on experience, with the median salary ranging from $72,637–$111,759. It is a highly competitive career field, particularly at the federal level where there is a set number of positions.

How to Become a Prosecutor

To become a prosecutor, you’ll have to get an undergraduate degree, pass the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), go to law school, and pass the bar exam.

Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

You will start your career by completing an accredited bachelor’s degree program. You might take a specialized course of study known as pre-law, but many majors can lead to admission into law school. Among the most popular are history, business, political science, and economics.

Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

To get into law school you need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The LSAT is a multiple-choice test divided into five sections. The four that contribute to your score are two logical reasoning sections, one analytical reasoning, and one reading comprehension.

Go to Law School

The next step is choosing a law school, which must be accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Law school traditionally takes three years to complete, although some prestigious schools recently began offering two-year tracks. Most programs are broken down into first-year, or introductory coursework, followed by upper-level study.

Classes include constitutional law, ethics, property law, criminal law, contract law, lawyer-client relationship, and civil procedure. Upon completing law school, you’ll be awarded a Juris Doctor degree, the highest law degree in the United States.

Pass the Bar Exam

In order to practice law, you need to pass the bar exam, which is administered by the Board of Bar Examiners in the state you intend to practice in. Each state has its own format, but most conduct the test over the course of two days. Virtually all states administer the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) on the first day and a state-specific exam on the second. Upon passing, you’ll be licensed to practice law and can seek work as a prosecutor.

Gain Experience

Jobs in a prosecutor’s office are limited, coveted, and highly competitive. To land one, you’ll likely have to gain experience outside the classroom. The summers during law school present an excellent opportunity to seek internships or seasonal work. You might work in a local prosecutor’s office or another legal office, such as that of a public defender—who is often the prosecutor’s opponent in court. You should also observe court proceedings and seek out opportunities in U.S. attorney offices.

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Find Criminal Justice Administration Degrees

Criminal Justice Administration

The criminal justice administration field involves managerial work within a variety of specialized departments that range from corrections to the federal government and the courts. While job requirements can be dramatically different from one place of work and location to another, criminal justice administrators are typically responsible for creating crime prevention policies, overseeing their agencies and supervising other employees.

In Marysville News, Ronette Burkes, Warden of Ohio Reformatory for Women, speaks of her career path in criminal justice. She first earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology when she began working at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. After volunteering at the Ohio Department of Corrections she took a position as administration assistant with the Ohio Parole Authority. Burkes then earned a master’s degree in criminal justice administration and became a deputy warden for Franklin Medical Center. She then transferred to the Ohio Reformatory for Women where she become head warden.

“If we provide the women here with programming, with education,
with opportunities that they didn’t have, that changes the way they think, that changes their thought process and behavior, then when we send them back out to society, they won’t create any more victims.” – Ronette Burkes

CriminalJusticePrograms.com can help you find a criminal justice admin degree that fits your education and career goals. If you’re ready to take the next step, use our featured listings to contact schools and start earning your degree today!

Criminal Justice Administration Job Description

The type of work you can expect to perform as a criminal justice administration professional depends largely on the department and the position of your choice. For example, serving in an administrative position within the court system is very different than working as a supervisor in a correctional facility or as a public policy adviser in local government offices. In general, when it comes to administration, criminal justice professionals use their leadership skills and their knowledge of laws and the criminal justice system to make important decisions that can impact the future course of their agencies.

As a professional in the criminal justice administration field, you can be asked to handle daily tasks that can be as varied as holding conferences with other employees to submitting policy proposals. Because administrative leaders handle a wide range of different assignments on a regular basis, you need to have excellent multitasking and critical thinking skills to be successful in this career field. Many criminal justice administration jobs involve strategic planning and inter-agency collaborations so you also need to have an intricate understanding of how different criminal justice agencies function and how they connect to your department.

In addition to managing employees and developing new policies, criminal justice administration professionals are often expected to oversee human resources and agency procedures. This type of work is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced and sometimes high-stress environment. If you are confident in your decision-making skills and your ability to be an effective leader, completing a criminal justice administration program can help you build the background you need to succeed in today’s competitive job market.

How to Become a Criminal Justice Admin

Because criminal justice administration programs offer students a broad background in criminal justice and public policy, a degree in criminal justice administration can also lead to opportunities within social services, private sectors and the federal and state government. If you are a criminal justice administration graduate who is not interested in working for the court system or the law enforcement industry, rehabilitation clinics, the US Department of Justice and private security firms are great options as well.

Education and Experience Requirements

The wide majority of management jobs in criminal justice require at least a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Since administrative positions in criminal justice agencies require innovative management skills and extensive knowledge of law enforcement principles, a four-year degree in criminal justice admin is ideal for finding entry-level employment with access to opportunities for advancement in the future.

Unlike criminal justice majors who typically study broad subjects and take specialized electives, criminal justice administration majors are specifically geared toward preparing students for leadership roles. If you are interested in positions that involve supervision and organization, completing a criminal justice administration degree can give you the skills you need to be successful in higher-up management positions within the criminal justice system.

Most recent graduates in the criminal justice administration field start as administrative assistants and later move on to higher-paying positions after gaining practical experience. Completing an internship in your area of interest during your undergraduate career can help you find employment and advance your career faster. If your goal is to eventually become an executive manager within a specific criminal justice agency, consider completing an advanced degree program in criminal justice administration or management. While you can move on to an executive management position after years of experience in your field, many employers prefer to fill high-level administrative positions with candidates who have a master’s or a doctorate degree.

Criminal justice administration programs are available on-campus and online. If you need a flexible class schedule and easy access to course materials, online classes might be a better fit for your needs and schedule than an on-campus program. Keep in mind that online programs can sometimes require field work, an internship or a combination of traditional and remote classes.

Curriculum Information

Criminal justice administration degree programs combine the principles of criminal justice with real world applications and public policy development. The courses below are a good example of the type of subjects you can expect to study while pursuing an undergraduate degree in criminal justice administration:

Introduction to the Criminal Justice System

Like all criminal justice studies, criminal justice administration programs begin by reviewing the structure and purpose of the American criminal justice system. Introduction to the criminal justice system is a general course, and it is designed to familiarize new students with the different agencies that make up the contemporary criminal justice system.

Because criminal justice administration graduates are expected to make positive changes through management, you need to have a deep understanding of the history of the criminal justice system, how it functions today and the areas where it falls short. In addition to learning how the criminal justice system operates, taking this class in the beginning of your degree program can help you decide which criminal justice agency is right for your future career goals.

Ethics and Morality in Criminal Justice

This intermediate course explores common social issues and injustices within the criminal justice system. Because criminal justice administration students are preparing for jobs that involve decision making and new policy development, they need to be familiar with common ethical issues that exist in today’s criminal justice system. Criminal justice professionals handle stressful and difficult situations on a daily basis. Learning more about ethics and morality can help prepare you for real-life situations that rarely have clear-cut solutions.

Management of Criminal Justice Agencies

Later in your college program, you will be required to take an advanced course that teaches how to run the various branches of the criminal justice system. Covering topics that range from organizational communication to law enforcement policies, a course in management is essential for all students who are interested in advanced leadership positions within the criminal justice system. In general, courses in management of criminal justice agencies are designed to build on the foundations students learn in the first two years of their undergraduate studies. Taking this class can help you learn invaluable leadership skills and gain a better understanding of criminal justice agencies and their functions.

Criminal Justice Admin Salary and Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), legal occupations are projected to grow by an average of 5.9% through 2032. In a detailed BLS report, that number is higher at 16% for legal support workers, with law enforcement officer positions remaining steady. Because criminal justice administration workers are hired across all criminal justice agencies, the projected growth rate for your future career depends on your exact occupation and the department you work in. However, criminal justice administration graduates can expect a growing job market regardless of the agency they decide to join since statistics show a steady increase in jobs for all criminal justice occupations.

BLS data collected in 2022 nationwide shows that salaries for workers in the criminal justice administration field vary depending on their job title and experience level. Leaders in legal support services earn an annual mean wage of $63,640. High-up supervisor positions tend to have the highest salaries in the criminal justice administration field. Managers who work in human resources within larger criminal justice agencies can earn over $145,750. Supervisors in rehabilitation and social services have some of the lower-paying salaries, with community and social service specialists earning about $55,660 and correctional treatment specialists earning an average annual salary of $64,920.

If you are specifically interested in using your criminal justice administration degree to create new crime prevention laws and policies, you can start a career in public office by becoming a legislator or by working for the federal government. The annual mean salary for legislators is $71,100.

The advantage to going into the criminal justice administration field is the ability to choose from many different individual industries, such as law enforcement, victim advocacy, emergency management and even academics. Since educated and experienced leaders are in high demand in all agencies that require managerial and administrative support, a background in criminal justice administration can be your ideal starting point for a rewarding career in the growing criminal justice industry.

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Law Office Manager | Education, Career, and Salary Insights

Law Office Manager

When it comes to multitasking, law office managers have one of the most demanding jobs out there. They oversee the work of an entire office full of lawyers, paralegals and legal secretaries. Law office managers can be seen as the organizing force of the office supervising the administrative, technical and legal support teams.

Law Office Manager Job Description

Law office managers may work for a variety of employers, including law firms, non-profit companies and government organizations. They are expected to “wear many different hats”: scheduler, task-assigner, case load organizer, office policy enforcer and more. The primary duties of a law office manager are focused on two main areas: hiring and payroll.

An average day on the job may include distributing workload among team members, managing client relations and overseeing budget issues. In addition to all these duties, a law office manager is also responsible for ensuring that general office facilities are maintained and for keeping employees driven. All of these tasks require a positive attitude and some serious motivation.

Requirements for Legal Management

Law office managers deal with a diverse array of people, from computer technicians to law firm bigwigs, and they have to put their best face forward 100 percent of the time. A law office manager should have a broad base of knowledge in everything from finance to human resources and administration. Communication skills are also a must.

Specialized formal educational requirements for law office managers aren’t mandatory – but due to stiff job competition, you’re better off getting a college degree. Applicable degrees can range from associate and bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice to degrees and certifications in office management.

Law Office Manager Salary and Career Outlook

Law office manager salaries vary significantly depending on the place of employment. According to O*Net, first line supervisors of office and administrative support workers earn an average of $61,370 per year as of 2022.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that administrative legal secretaries earn a median salary of $44,080, as of 2022. Although the job field for administrative services managers is expected to grow in the coming decade, competition for jobs will remain high.

Law Office Manager Resources

Online programs may not be available in all areas.

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Online Legal Studies Degree | Become a Legal Secretary

Legal Secretary

It can take months before a legal case is actually brought before a judge and all the preparation that goes into a case requires a huge amount of work – more than any lawyer can handle on his or her own. Legal secretaries provide support for lawyers, working behind the scenes. They handle the everyday duties of a law office with a unique combination of administrative skills and legal know-how.

Legal Secretary Job Description

Legal secretaries need to be extremely organized, great at multitasking and keeping to deadlines. A legal secretary’s daily work might include preparing legal documents, such as motions, briefs and subpoenas; filing legal paper work; creating complex spreadsheets to keep track of case proceedings; and scheduling meetings with attorneys, clients and other legal staff. In addition, a legal secretary is also responsible for basic administrative tasks such as taking dictation, answering phones and preparing correspondence. Most legal secretaries work in law firms, although some might find themselves employed in the legal departments of corporations or government offices.

How to Become a Legal Secretary

The educational paths a legal secretary may pursue vary, as there are no strictly set educational requirements to enter the field. In most cases, legal secretaries get their start by completing a one to two-year, legal secretarial program at a community college or career school. You can find a program where you attend courses, or one that allows you to complete your legal studies degree online. These programs teach basic secretarial skills including typing, spreadsheet creation and billing. What makes these programs unique from other secretarial programs; however, is that they also teach the technical legal terminology necessary to work in a law office.

Legal secretaries can become certified by taking an exam offered by the National Association for Legal Professionals or by the National Association of Legal Secretaries. While it’s not technically necessary to possess any formal certification to work as a legal secretary, it can be a big advantage in the job market.

Legal Secretary Salary and Career Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the median annual salary of legal secretaries in 2022 was $48,780. Job growth for legal assistants is expected to increase 4%, about average, through 2032.

As lawyers attempt to make legal services more accessible, they delegate certain legal tasks out to paralegals and legal assistants. This trend translates to an increased need for lawyer support staff like paralegals and legal secretaries. In fact according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics job growth within this field is expected to increase at an above average rate.

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