Department of Justice Guidelines: Balancing “Discretionary Justice” Article
Date of Publication:
Recommended Citation
Ellen S. Podgor, Department of Justice Guidelines: Balancing “Discretionary Justice”, 13 Cornell J.L. & Pub. Pol'y 167 (2004)Clicking on the button will copy the full recommended citation.
Prosecutors are afforded enormous discretion in a multitude of decisions. Internal guidelines of the Department of Justice (DOJ) assist federal prosecutors in making the decisions that fall within their discretionary realm. Although these guidelines are policy statements and not legislative rules, they offer an element of consistency to the decision-making process, provide education for newcomers to the department, and can serve as a restraint on prosecutorial discretion.
Prosecutors do not always adhere to these internal guidelines. This article studies ways to achieve better compliance. It examines remedies that achieve a balance between continuing the practice of having guidelines and yet also having meaningful policies that are adhered to by department employees.