National Prosecution Authority

Here at the National Prosecution Authority, we perform important work for maintaining a safe society. The National Prosecution Authority is a well-liked and desirable employer, due to which there are always plenty of applicants for the open positions.

The National Prosecution Authority employs around 550 people. Roughly three out of four employees are prosecutors, over one half of them women.

The National Prosecution Authority comprises the Office of the Prosecutor General that acts as the general administrative unit, and five prosecution districts: Southern Finland, Western Finland, Northern Finland, Eastern Finland and Åland. The National Prosecution Authority has 34 offices around Finland.

Chief District Prosecutors, District Prosecutors, Senior Specialised Prosecutors as well as Executive Secretaries and Prosecutor's Assistants work at the National Prosecution Authority. The Prosecutor General, the Deputy Prosecutor General and State Prosecutors work at the Office of the Prosecutor General. In addition to lawyers, the office employs financial and HR administration, training and communications experts as well as office staff.

The work of a prosecutor is diverse, independent and demanding handling of criminal matters, also involving international duties. Of all authorities handling a criminal matter, the role of the prosecutor is the most extensive. It reaches from the pre-trial investigation to the court proceedings. The primary duty of District Prosecutors working in the different Prosecution Districts is to ensure that a crime results in the punishment required by law.

Prosecutors have the opportunity to specialise in specific types of crime. Such areas of specialisation include particular offences against persons, narcotics offences and organised crime and financial crime.

Prosecutors are required to have a Masters degree in Law other than Master of International and Comparative Law. Most prosecutors also have court training.

If a person appointed as a prosecutor does not have a sufficient amount of experience as a prosecutor or a judge, he or she can initially be appointed as a temporary junior prosecutor for a period of six months. During this period, the prosecutor is inducted in the work with a training programme arranged by the National Prosecution Authority.

Prosecutor's Assistants manage the practical duties involved in prosecution, including contacts with stakeholders and the management of documents, their circulation, preparation, scheduling and the follow-up of compliance with deadlines. The required characteristics of Prosecutor's Assistant include responsibility, initiative, cooperative skills, a customer service oriented attitude and the ability to work independently.