Principles of Prosecutor Lenience

[...]prosecutorial lenience in the United States should be abundant. [...]if those actors cannot or will not take on that role, it becomes hard to object when prosecutors fill the void. [...]if American legislators arc creating an overly punitive default system with the expectation that prosecutors will blunt its sharp edges, resisting prosecutor lenience undermines legislative intent.21 This Symposium Essay explores prosecutorial lenience through the lens set out above. [...]prosecutorial lenience can surface in bail or sentencing recommendations as well as efforts to void convictions. [...]prosecutors who seek severity based on a particular factor should recognize that lenience is called for when that factor is reversed.