Prosecutors and defense attorneys are found in local, state, and federal courts. All attorneys must have be law school graduates and a member of appropriate bar associations. In most cities and counties one must be elected to the position of prosecutor. Cities and counties use a variety of means for providing the accused with defense counsel. Public defenders, the lowest paid of all, are hired on a fixed fee or fixed salary basis and usually carrying a large caseload.
Some attorneys prefer to work as a public defender, protecting the rights of the poor.
Private attorneys typically earn more than a public defender. Sometimes private attorneys join together to form a law firm. Private attorneys often work on both civil and criminal cases. Jails hold both men and women and, if they are abiding by the law, never house juveniles. Unlike detention centers, jails seldom offer treatment or rehabilitative programs.