NACDL is dedicated to securing meaningful, systematic reform and to
preventing the insidious harm caused when a prosecutor carelessly, or
purposefully, fails in his or her duties to us all. Prosecutorial
overreaching and misconduct distort the truth-finding process and taint
the credibility of the criminal justice system, including the outcomes
they generate. When prosecutors’ fundamental obligations are ignored and
individuals’ rights are violated in order to secure a conviction,
little can be done to rectify the wrongs inflicted upon the individuals
involved and on the system itself.
So long as this serious
deficiency exists in the criminal justice system, NACDL will be on the
frontlines seeking to ensure justice and due process for all and to
promote the proper and fair administration of criminal justice. This
page contains extensive resources on the problem of prosecutorial
misconduct and possible reform.
Available below are materials from the Department of Justice (DOJ) relating to prosecutorial misconduct.
Department of Justice Policies
U.S. Attorney’s Manual – Titles 1 and 9
DOJ Justice Management Divisions – Government Ethics Outline
Department of Justice Publications
DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility – Analytical Framework re: allegations of prosecutorial misconduct (2005)
Department of Justice Press Releases
Press Release, Andrew Goldsmith Appointed as National Coordinator of Criminal Discovery Initiatives, January 15, 2010
Justice News, Memos to U.S. Attorneys: Establishing Guidance for Prosecutors Regarding Criminal Discovery, January 4, 2010
Press Release, Department Asks Alaska Corruption Cases Be Remanded to District Court, Former State Representatives Be Released, June 4, 2009
Press Release, Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder Regarding U.S. v. Theodore Stevens, April 1, 2009