As a Public Prosecutors’ Assistant Officer in New York, you will work in an intellectual and legal setting. This rewarding and challenging position offers the chance to improve the effectiveness of criminal justice systems while providing vital public services.
Your role will include the preparation, presentation and trial of cases before judges or juries. In addition, you will conduct pre-trial hearings and negotiate plea agreements as needed. Furthermore, ongoing legal education and training courses will keep you abreast of criminal and civil law.
Your work in an office setting will rely heavily on your ability to communicate clearly and follow written and oral instructions accurately. You will work on diverse cases with many stakeholders such as law enforcement, defense counsel and even the court itself.
Be sure to inquire into how cases are assigned and litigated within an office’s philosophy of case administration and litigation. Some offices take a “vertical approach”, with one prosecutor handling all investigation, interviewing, plea-bargaining and trials for one specific case; other offices employ “horizontal approaches”, where different sections within the DA’s office handle cases in their area of expertise.
As your experience level advances, you may begin by handling misdemeanor cases like drunk driving and petty theft; eventually you could advance to investigating and prosecuting felonies like robbery and murders.
Some District Attorney (DA) offices feature several sections dedicated to different crimes, such as gang violence. Others allow you to handle your own appeals process and should provide all of the resources you require, such as support staff, technology and investigative resources.
Public Prosecutors’ Assistant District Attorney work can be emotionally draining and demanding. Before choosing prosecution as a career, it is essential to carefully consider your personal preferences; if your strengths lie more in bridging communities together than combatting crime, prosecution might not be for you.
As an Assistant District Attorney in New York State or the United States, citizenship or residency status will be necessary in order to legally operate as an Assistant DA. This requirement is stipulated by both federal and state laws.
Your work in the office will play an essential part of the criminal justice system that is under increased pressure due to allegations of crime and the need for justice among their many victims. Your work could play a major role in reducing crime while making the justice system fair and efficient.
Your first few weeks at the office will provide an introduction to casework. You will shadow a prosecutor in court for several hours each day and attend training sessions on foundational subjects like search and seizure, suppression, and the New York Criminal Procedure Law.
