CJS200 Week Six Checkpoint Courtroom Players Submitted by Travis Hance What is considered to be a courtroom work group?

? The courtroom workgroup is a term referring to the professionals who serve the court on a daily basis. These hardworking men and women are dedicated to the pursuit of justice by successfully completing trials. Included within this group are Judges, Justices, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, public defenders, court recorders, court clerks, and others who earn a living in service to the court. How does this courtroom work group interact on a daily basis? Each member of the professional courtroom work group is dedicated to seeing a successful completion to the trial. In doing so they must follow a strict code of ethics as well as an almost reverent adherence to the law and its practice. In most cases at a state level, there are a limited number of judges and attorneys, so there is a likelihood that a personal as well as professional relationship will develop, and because of this, personal feelings must be ignored, and pursuit of justice must be the standard. What is the role of the prosecutor? The prosecutor plays an important role within the court system, as they represent the rights of the citizens. This is assumed because the criminal charges pursued are an affront to the safety and security of the public. In this role, the prosecutor is responsible for presenting the peoples case against the defendant, and doing so in such a way that a conviction is likely. This likelihood is based on hard work to ensure that

evidence is presented legally, and state procedures are followed in such a way as to avoid dismissal. The prosecutor also plays another role in many states as advisor to police departments. Many times, police officials will consult with the prosecutor prior to bringing charges, or even during the course of an investigation. This is done to ensure that the proper evidence is acquired, and procedures followed. How does a prosecutor determine which cases to pursue? This determination, referred to as prosecutorial discretion, illustrates the wide range of power that a prosecutor has, and the amount of responsibility that comes with it. The prosecutor must examine the charges that have been filed, the corresponding evidence, eyewitness testimony, and any other associated facts. Then they may choose whether to pursue bringing those charges before the court, or pursuing lessor action such as counseling. What would happen if the criteria for taking a case were more, or less, stringent? If the criteria for taking a case were more stringent, a number of cases would be dismissed because of a lack of concrete evidence. Many cases are brought to trial with minimal or circumstantial evidence, but with good eyewitness testimony. If the criteria were less stringent than the system would become flooded with cases lacking appropriate evidence and support, which would result in less attention to cases requiring it. What changes to the courtroom work group would you recommend? I believe that the courtroom work group is well balanced as it is. The current definition represents both the peoples side through the prosecuting attorney, and the defendants right to fair

representation through the defense attorney. The Judge can examine both sides and determine whether justice is served.