The prosecution function is organized at 3 levels, county, state, and federal.  At the county level, the office of the district attorney, an elected office, prosecutes all alleged violations of the penal law that take place within a county and consequently this office is responsible for prosecuting the vast majority of all criminal offenses.  The Office of State Attorney General, also an elected post, represents the State’s interests in such diverse areas as consumer fraud, environmental protection and organized crime.  When the Attorney General successfully prosecutes in these and other areas, criminal sanctions are often imposed on the convicted offenders.
At the federal level, the U.S. Attorney General is appointed by the President and is responsible for prosecuting all alleged federal crimes.  This task is carried out through the offices of the United States Attorneys, located in each federal district throughout the nation.