According to a federal report, state prosecutor offices have experienced significant growth in both staffing and expenditures over the past few decades.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) has released its report titled Prosecutors in State Courts, 2020, which provides an in-depth look at the operational and administrative functions of the offices that prosecute criminal offenses in state courts across the United States.
As of 2020, there were 2,347 prosecutor offices in the United States employing a total of 35,120 attorneys, who handled felony cases in state courts of general jurisdiction.
These offices have seen a 44% increase in staffing from 1992 to 2020, reflecting a growing need for prosecutorial services.
The largest prosecutor offices, those serving populations of 1 million or more residents, employed nearly 12,000 attorneys.
Offices serving smaller populations, such as those with fewer than 100,000 residents, employed nearly 1,600 more prosecutors than those serving populations between 250,000 and 499,999 residents.
A large majority (95%) of the prosecutors were employed full time, with only 5% working part time.
The report also highlights the demographic makeup of prosecutors. Approximately 80% of full-time attorneys in state prosecutor offices were white, and half of them were female.
In addition to attorneys, state prosecutor offices employed a substantial number of non-attorney staff, such as investigators, victim and witness assistance staff, and support personnel.
In 2020, there were 44,150 full-time non-attorney staff members working in state prosecutor offices.
State prosecutor offices reported operating expenditures exceeding $6 billion in 2020.
This figure represents a substantial financial commitment to prosecuting criminal cases, supporting the increase in staffing and operational complexity in handling felony cases.
According to Kevin M. Scott, Ph.D., Acting Director of the BJS, the increase in staffing and funding demonstrates the expanding role of state prosecutors in the justice system.
State prosecutors hold significant discretion in the criminal justice system.
They are responsible for determining who is charged with criminal offenses and whether a case proceeds to trial.
In 2020, state prosecutor offices were responsible for charging 78% of all felony matters reviewed.
Additionally, 67% of felony cases concluded by state prosecutors were adjudicated through plea bargains, illustrating the central role of negotiated settlements in the criminal justice system.
The report also sheds light on how state prosecutor offices support victims of crime.
Around 70% of these offices provided direct assistance to victims of domestic violence, while 75% offered referrals to outside agencies for further support.
The Prosecutors in State Courts, 2020 report is based on data from the BJS’s National Survey of Prosecutors (NSP), which gathers information on prosecutorial activities, administrative matters, and legal issues faced by prosecutors handling felony cases in state courts.
The survey, conducted every several years, excludes data on federal, tribal, and municipal prosecutors, as well as those handling exclusively juvenile cases or those operating in courts of limited jurisdiction.
This year’s findings update the previous NSP, which was last conducted in 2007.
Population data in the report is based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, providing insights into the jurisdictions served by state prosecutors.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating criminal justice statistics in the United States.
Its reports, such as Prosecutors in State Courts, 2020, aim to provide a clear picture of the state of the U.S. criminal justice system.
The BJS operates under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which provides resources and technical assistance to improve the nation’s capacity to reduce crime and promote fairness in the justice system.