NCJ Number
98922
Date Published
1981
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This paper identifies causes for problems and dysfunctions in police-prosecutor relations, means for counteracting them, and issues for future research.
Abstract
Problems and dysfunctions in police-prosecutor relations are related to the following issues: ambiguity in police and prosecutorial functions, changing roles for both police and prosecutors, conficting philosophies and policies, lack of accountability for decisions, inadequate police training, and poor communication between police and prosecutors. Other issues related to problems in police-prosecutor relations are the structure of the criminal justice system, uncertainty about investigative responsibility, and a high proportion of case dismissals by prosecutors. To improve police-prosecution relations, efforts should focus on a few areas that will yield the most results: education, training, management and operational improvements, and the development of more effective performance and accountability systems. Additional research should examine the prevalence of various police-prosecutor problems and their effect on police and prosecutorial performance, the cost-effectiveness of proposed solutions to police-prosecutor problems, and jurisdictions having effective police-prosecutor relations.