The director of public prosecutions in England and Wales, Alison Saunders, is to step down at the end of her five-year contract in October.
While at the Crown Prosecution Service she oversaw the successful prosecution of Stephen Lawrence's killers.
But recently she has faced criticism after several rape trials collapsed due to evidence not being disclosed.
Ms Saunders told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the service had improved during her tenure "despite cuts".
She said it had been her decision to leave the role and that criticism of her work at the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) was "incredibly inaccurate" and "hugely insulting" to the service's staff.
'Systemic failing'
The CPS faced criticism when, in December 2017, the trials of Isaac Itiary, who was accused of raping a child, and Liam Allan, both collapsed when new evidence came to light.
Police and prosecutors are expected to disclose evidence that could assist the defence case or undermine the prosecution's but these cases demonstrated that evidence was not being shared early enough.
It later emerged the number of prosecutions in England and Wales that had collapsed because of a failure to disclose evidence had increased by 70% in the previous two years.
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'Justice system is working' after rape trials collapse
Sex offence prosecutions at record high
Ms Saunders described issues with the disclosure regime as "extremely regrettable" and said the problems with disclosure were part of a "systemic failing across the justice system" which had been going on "for some years".
She said the job had been a "tremendous privilege" and she was "proud of everything the service has achieved" over the past five years.
Head of the civil service Sir Jeremy Heywood praised her leadership of the CPS.
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