Do you have an analytical mind, a high sense of justice and want to present evidence against accused criminals? If so, you may have the makings of a prosecutor.

In the United States, the law system is based on the innocence of accused criminals until they confess or are proven guilty in a court of law. Prosecutors are the branches of law that represent the state against defenders of criminal acts in the judicial system.

Prosecutors are able to start criminal investigations, work on the sentencing requirements for offenders and work with grand jury proceedings. While television and movies can make being a prosecutor seem glamorous and mostly involved in ‘’locking people up’’, in reality the work requires a high energy level and the ability to manage a large case load and the demands of multiple departments, individuals and multiple deadlines.

Limited government budgets often make the caseload on each prosecutor very high, requiring long hours and managing a constant stress load. The pay for prosecutors is often lower than is available in other legal disciples, such as criminal law. Lawyers working for the government had an average starting salary of around $50,000, compared to over $100,000 for those working in private practice. Experienced lawyers working for a state government have an average salary of $78,000, for the local government a salary of $82,000 and for the federal executive branch $126,000. http://www.bls.gov/oco/Ocos053.htm

First and foremost, prosecutors are lawyers by education. The first educational hurdle on the prosecutor path is a high school education. Gain high grades during high school and receive high scores on standardized college entrance exams such as the SAT and the ACT so you can gain entrance to a well-regarded college or university.

The second educational step towards a career as a prosecutor is getting a college or university degree. You can select a major in almost any area, but a degree in English can help improve your reading and writing skills, criminal justice courses can help you understand the workings of the criminal system and processes and government classes can prepare you to work within the government framework.

The third educational step on your career path to become a prosecutor is law school. After obtaining a baccalaureate degree and taking the law school entrance exam called the LSAT, you must attend law school, usually for 3 years. Select a law school that provides a concentration in criminal law to maximize your knowledge and help prepare you for prosecuting work. During breaks in law school, consider obtaining an internship at a district attorneys office to help give you a real world education while you obtain your theoretical training in law school.

The bar exam is a rite of passage for all lawyers, including future prosecutors. Every state has specific requirements for bar entry such as the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE), the Multistate Essay Exam or the Multistate Bar Examination. http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mbe/ Review the requirements for the states where you want to practice law to ensure you take the correct steps and prepare adequately for your state’s requirements.

Passing the bar exam usually requires intense preparation and study. Often, those wanting to become a prosecutor will take a professional review course. Some popular bar review courses are offered through companies such as Kaplan or BarBri Bar. Some future prosecutors opt to study on their own by using review guides and books, and some choose to study in groups with their law school classmates. Match your study methodology to your preferred study style for maximum success.

You will need to be familiar with multiple areas of law beyond criminal law to pass the bar exam, regardless of the state where you take the bar exam. Typical areas covered on bar exams include contracts, criminal law, evidence, real property and constitutional law. http://www.ncbex.org/multistate-tests/mbe/ To help prepare for the exams, take practice exams and see the areas where you perform weakly. Use this information to help focus your study time. For bar exams that require essays focus on writing fast answers so that you can complete as many essay questions as possible in order to score the most points. Bar exams are not scored in a way to penalized for a wrong answer, but you will not score points if you do not select any answer.

Prosecutor positions are available in different departments such as the United States Attorney’s Office, local district attorneys’ offices, enforcement branches of regulatory agencies and within the Department of Justice. http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/resources/publications/washington_lawyer/january_2007/prosecutor.cfm Regardless of the area where you prefer to start your career, you will typically need at least a year of experience after you graduate law school before you can be considered for a position. You many need to work in a non-profit justice organization, or in a lower level position for a year before applying to a prosecutor position.

Once you apply for a prosecutor position, be prepared to wade through bureaucratic requirements such as paperwork and requirements fulfillment. You will typically be required to complete a background check, drug test and you may have to agree to work for 2 or 3 years after you are hired. http://www.dcbar.org/for_lawyers/resources/publications/washington_lawyer/january_2007/prosecutor.cfm

While in your first job, be prepared to handle often-uncertain daily schedules. You may be required to present cases where you have had little prep time and must think quickly on your feet. The goal is to balance the need for organization with the need to process cases very quickly. Over time, you will gain enough experience that the process will not seem as daunting. Take advice from experienced prosecutors to help you ‘learn the ropes’ in your new job as a prosecutor.