NCJ Number
55604
Date Published
Unknown
Length
211 pages
Annotation
STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES PERTAINING TO PROSECUTORIAL PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AS DEFINED AND CODIFIED BY A TASK FORCE ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
COUNTY PROSECUTORS ARE THE CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN THEIR JURISDICTION AND THEREFORE OCCUPY A CRITICAL POSITION IN NEW JERSEY'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROSECUTORS HAVE BEEN EXPANDED IN RECENT YEARS, MAKING THE POSITION INFINITELY MORE COMPLEX. THE MANUAL IS DESIGNED TO PRESENT A COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT OF STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES WHICH WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY AID THE PROSECUTOR IN HIS DUTIES AND FOSTER PUBLIC RESPECT AND CONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS. UNIFORMITY AND CONSISTENCY STRUCTURED BY THE STANDARDS WILL ENSURE AGAINST ABUSE OF AUTHORITY AND WILL BE INVALUABLE FOR USE IN TRAINING NEW PERSONNEL. THE ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS OF PROSECUTORS AND THEIR ASSISTANTS ARE DESCRIBED, AND MATTERS PERTAINING TO PROSECUTORS' OFFICIAL RESPONSIBILITIES BEFORE, DURING, AND FOLLOWING A TRIAL, AS WELL AS THEIR OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES, ARE DISCUSSED. THE PROSECUTORS' RELATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC AND WITH GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS ARE REVIEWED, INCLUDING RELATIONS WITH THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES, THE MEDIA, AND WITNESSES. CASE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES ARE OUTLINED, INCLUDING CASE SCREENING, ADMINISTRATIVE DISPOSITIONS, PRETRIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, IMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS, PLEA NEGOTIATIONS, AND SENTENCING. SPECIFICALLY, STANDARDS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED PERTAINING TO EXTRADITION, PRETRIAL RELEASE, POSTTRIAL BAIL AND SURRENDER, AND THE RETENTION AND DISPOSITION OF EVIDENCE INCLUDING FIREARMS AND CONTRABAND. REFERENCE FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS LOOSELEAF DOCUMENT. (LWM)