Prosecutors wield the most power in the American criminal justice system -- more than police officers and judges. They decide whether to indict, then whether to demand bail and how much, then whether to offer a plea deal and what that deal looks like.
In death penalty cases, prosecutors decide who they think should live and who should die. If they make a mistake, for example, not turning over key evidence that could have helped prove a person’s innocence, they rarely face any kind of punishment. A new book focuses on the power of the prosecutor: "Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration."
Emily Bazelon. Courtesy of Bazelon.