DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Information on the District Attorney and their role in the legal system
A District Attorney is an lawyer elected to public office and who legally prosecutes on behalf of persons residing in, or on behalf of, his or her district or county in the state he or she lives in. The position of the district attorney is one of enforcement and safety in communities. He or she is a public prosecutor defending the laws of the particular district they are elected to.
A felony is a crime, that when punished in a court of law, can send a person to prison or, if the particular state upholds the sentence, to death. District attorneys pursue issues pertaining to drug enforcement, death penalty, traffic violations, murder, protecting children, involuntary commitment of persons to mental facilities and sexual assault, to name just a few.
A District Attorney also helps in aiding victims of felony crime in terms of prosecuting the guilty parties or assisting victims in obtaining financial compensation from agencies or from the convicted party.
The creation and enforcement of community action committees, neighborhood crime watches, local child welfare activities and other community based programs also falls under the jurisdiction of District Attorney. District Attorneys hire assistants to help in the prosecuting of criminals, professional advocates to help victims of crime with testimony and to help victims find help in coping with violent crime.
