Leadership Center for Attorney General Studies

A modern law enforcement system is managed by those who balance the need to protect the public with the need to safeguard civil rights.

Attorneys general are often the top law enforcement and/or legal officers in their state or district. Some have the responsibility for enforcing all state criminal laws while others enforce certain state laws for which the attorney general has jurisdiction. While district attorneys handle most misdemeanor and felony cases, attorneys general may prosecute business fraud, major felonies, public corruption, environmental crimes, child or elderly abuse, human trafficking, cybercrime, civil rights violations, and crimes that cross multiple jurisdictions. Attorneys general also work together and with the federal government to bring joint cases, often against companies or organizations that have engaged in criminal behavior nationally.