The Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia alike have had extremely low rates of acquittal in criminal cases, which conventional wisdom associates with an accusatorial bias. But other countries like Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, and France also have low rates of acquittal although in their cases without the perception of bias. This chapter argues that the key difference between the two categories lies in the presence or absence of pre-trial screening—through the withdrawal of charges, diversion, and/or dispositions imposed by prosecutors. After a brief history of the low acquittal rate in Russia, the chapter examines the use of prosecutorial discretion to screen cases before trial in Germany (and other countries), especially through the exercise by prosecutors of quasi-judicial functions. The chapter goes on to demonstrate the absence of significant pre-trial filtering of cases in Russia and to explore its implications for understanding the infinitesimal rate of acquittal. The analysis highlights the impact of new measures to avoid full trials (reconciliation and plea arrangements), as well as the continuing weakness of judges, the nature of the role of investigators, and the absence of meaningful changes in criminal procedure.