Currently, prosecutors in both the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems have too much discretion in pressing charges, determining what sentences are sought, and negotiating plea deals. Trial by jury is a key tenant of the American criminal justice system, but heightened prosecutorial power significantly reduces the power and frequency of a trial by peers. Attempts at sentencing reform must address largely unchecked prosecutorial discretion.
“‘We start with a presumption that, in most cases, these charges don’t need to be prosecuted,’ Rollins said in a statement accompanying the memo. ‘Dismissal, diversion, treatment, and services are much more often the appropriate outcomes’.“
WBUR Boston
March 26, 2019
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