The Prosecutor’s Chessboard: Strategic Moves for Community Safety

As an Assistant District Attorney, my primary responsibility is to seek justice for the victims of crime and ensure the safety of our community. While the public often imagines the justice system as a series of dramatic full trials, the reality is that negotiated pleas play a crucial and often undervalued role in achieving these goals effectively and efficiently.¹

Contrary to some opinions, a well-negotiated plea agreement isn't a compromise of justi...