So, why are there so many convictions? Well, a large part of the blame falls on the increase in crime caused by greed, anger, jealousy, desperation, family breakdown, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, short-sightedness, poor education, etc. While it is true that personal responsibility is important, if a person makes a mistake the government is very unlikely to “give them a break”. Also, if a person claims they are wrongfully charged, the government rarely even listens to the explanation. Believe it or not, the prosecutor’s job is not to convict; it is to do substantial justice. Unlike private attorneys and criminal defenders, the prosecutor is not required to be a zealous advocate in seeking convictions. This distinction is lost on many (if not most) prosecutors these days. More and more the over-zealous desire to convict at the prosecutor’s offices results in their refusal to dismiss weak or unjust charges, in over-charging or double-charging, and in refusing to offer reasonable plea deals. To compound the problem, the prosecutors’ offices work directly with the police and the crime labs. The government has unlimited money, unlimited resources, public support, and most of the law on their side. As a result, the government can almost always out-spend and out-last most defendants.