The field of criminal law presents many opportunities for a paralegal. Public prosecutors, also known as district attorneys, county attorneys, or state's attorneys, employ paralegals. As a part of the prosecution team, paralegals may be responsible for drafting the criminal complaint, organizing the presentation of evidence, keeping crime victims informed of the status of the prosecution, or researching quest ions of law related to the charges.

As employees of public defenders or private lawyers who practice criminal law, paralegals perform similar tasks on behalf of the accused defendant. A paralegal is responsible for investigating the factual basis for the charges, for reviewing and analyzing the results of the police investigation, and for researching possible defenses available to the defendant.

Paralegals are also employed in organizations that provide ancillary organizations support to the criminal justice system. Many victims' rights employ paralegals to assist in explaining the legal process to victims and provide support and access to victim s' services.