Dream Job: Prosecutor

Career Profile

Prosecutors are government officials charged with bringing defendants in criminal cases to justice in the name of the state. Although responsibilities vary from one jurisdiction to another, many prosecutors are in charge of all phases of a criminal proceeding, from investigation by the police through trial and beyond to all levels of appeal.The prosecutor has three main tasks: to investigate crimes, to decide whether or not to instigate legal proceedings and to appear in court.The prosecutor investigates crimes together with the police and will have contact with the person suspected of the crime, the victim and witnesses, and have close contact with the police. Once the preliminary investigations have been completed, the prosecutor judges whether there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court. If it is a minor crime, and the suspect admits his or her guilt, the prosecutor imposes a fine. This is referred to as an order of summary punishment, and no trial will be held. If an action is initiated there will be a trial in a court of law. The task of the prosecutor is to prove that the suspect has committed the crime by questioning the suspect, the witnesses and experts in order to establish that the suspect is guilty.

Education

School 1:University Of Toronto (Psychology)
Psychology focuses on the behaviour of human beings and animals, with particular emphasis on the individual rather than the group.
Program Length- 4 years
Tuition- $6,780 for 1 year(s)
Awarded a BSc
Recommended courses: Grade 12 Chemistry (SCH4U), Biology (SBI4U) and Physics (SPH4U)

School 2: University Of Toronto (Juris Doctor(J.D))
Our first-year curriculum includes two courses that are preparatory in nature: (1) Legal Methods; and (2) Legal Research and Writing; and six substantive law courses: Constitutional Law; Contracts; Criminal Law; Legal Process; Property; and Torts. Collectively, these courses provide a rigorous legal foundation and introduce students to a wide range of views and a diversity of perspectives on law and legal reasoning. One of the central goals of our JD program is to train students to “think like lawyers.”. The course is designed to introduce students to the foundational information and reasoning needed to make the most of the JD program from the outset.
Program Length- 3 years
Tuition for one year - $34,980
Credentials awarded- Juris Doctor (J.D)
Applicants must have successfully completed three years of an approved course leading to a degree at a recognized university, no later than the end of May in the year of entry. (Need either a BSc or BA)

Responsibilities

Prosecuting attorneys begin a case by reviewing police reports and performing research. They may meet with witnesses or victims. They use their gathered information in court to present the case against the accused defendant. Prosecuting attorneys must follow cases through each stage of the judicial process and communicate with all involved parties. At times, this requires coordination with additional attorneys, the police and other professionals. Depending on the size of the municipality a prosecutor serves, job duties can vary. In larger offices, prosecuting attorneys may be assigned to specific areas of the law, such as traffic violations or juvenile offenses. In smaller offices, they may be responsible for all aspects of criminal prosecution.

Financial Reward

The average Prosecutor salary in Canada is $102,927 per year or $52.78 per hour. Entry level positions start at $57,553 per year while most experienced workers make up to $124,055 per year.

Conclusion

This career is suitable for me because according to my blueprint, my top motivation factor is achievement. Therefore, winning cases would motivate me to become even better at what I do. Secondly, I am less judging and more perceiving. This means I can be flexible and spontaneous and I am able to go with the flow. This is important for a prosecutor in a courtroom. I also believe that this job is best suited for me because there isn’t much routine. This makes the job more appealing to me because in the future I would not want to do the exact same thing day in, day out.

Barriers

Paying my tuition. I may have trouble paying for my schooling. To help I would get a job and take out a loan in order to pay the tuition. Also, I do struggle in math. Therefore, I will have to work harder in that area because I need high 80’s in most of my courses to be able to attend the schools and programs of my choice. I will most likely get a tutor to help me with math and science.

Action Plan

The courses I would take in high school would be core courses like university level english and Math.I will also be taking co-op to gain some experience on how the workforce works and things someone will experience in a job-like setting.After high school, I will go to university and get a BSc. Afterwards, I will obtain my juris doctor to be able to practice law. I will pay for my education by taking out a loan as well as getting a job and hopefully getting some financial help from my parents.

Experiences

An experience I have that relates to my job happend on a trip I went on a few years ago. We were allowed into court room and did a mock trial. During the mock trial we were separated into teams and had to debate over whether the accused was guilty of the crime or not.

Trends & Future Outlook

Lawyers. Employment of lawyers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for legal work is expected to continue as individuals, businesses, and all levels of government require legal services in many areas.

Employers & Working Conditions

A prosecutor is a lawyer that works for a prosecutor's office, which is essentially a government law firm whose only client is the State, and the State pays the prosecutors office to uphold its laws.Attorneys mostly spend their time in courtrooms, law libraries, or legal offices. They can meet clients at their homes, prisons, or hospitals. Lawyers may have to travel to various locations such as courtrooms or meeting locations.