A functioning and fair prosecution service is critical to the perceptions and reality of the justice system and judicial independence. This primer identifies and distils key issues, options and considerations based on comparative insights and international norms for the regulation of the prosecution service at the constitutional level. It particularly focuses on the status of the chief prosecutor, who is often the principal subject of constitutional regulation.

The primer is aimed at inspiring and informing the deliberation and decisions of constitution makers, constitutional advisors, international rule of law and democracy-promoting actors, civil society organizations, think tanks and academics on issues related to the constitutional status and regulation of the main aspects of the prosecution service.